HUTT HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 105, 30 October 1942, Page 4

HUTT HOSPITAL

"SECRECY" OF ESTIMATES

A recommendation by the policy and finance committee that the estimates submitted by the boani's architect for the completed . Hutt Hospital be received and treated as strictly confidential, came before the Wellington Hospital Board last night and brought an immediate query from Mr. H. F. Toogood. ' "Is there any reason why the estimates should be considered as strictly confidential?" he asked. In moving that the clause be referred back to the committee, Mr. Toogood said he did not believe that there should be any secrecy in such-matters,- even if publication led to criticism. The estimates had gone directly to the'>-policy and finance committee,'and had. never been before the building committee. The chairman (Mr. F. Castle) seconded the motion pro forma. Mr. W. J. Gaudin said he thought it was desirable that the estimates be kept confidential while tenders were being called for the work and until a price had been decided upon. Mrs. E. M. Gilm'er said that the letter had come from the ' architects as strictly confidential. Mr. . Toogood: Are they afraid of their estimates, or not? Mr! W. S. Cederholm contended that the estimates should be regarded as confidential until the final cost had been determined.

Mr. Toogood said that in any case;, the figures had to be published before the board went to the Local Government Loans Board. "After all," he added, "the figures belong to the ratepayers." . Mrs. Gilmer quoted from the architect's letter to the effect that while every effort was made to obtain a reasonable estimate, the conditions ruling today made accurate estimating difficult.

Mr. Toogood's motion was agreed to without dissent.

Formal approval was given to a proposal to give notice of the board's intention to seek the sanction of the Local Government Loans Board to the borrowing of an additional sum- of approximately £230;000 to complete the erection of a 410-bed hospital, including 200 emergency beds, with nurses' home, out-patient block, boiler-house, electrical sub-station, mortuary, roading, fencing, etc., with all ancillary services, at Lower. Hutt. .