MEDICAL STAFF’S GENEROSITY

Evening Star, Issue 22343, 20 May 1936, Page 2

MEDICAL STAFF’S GENEROSITY

£1,500 FOR SECOND THEATRE URGENT NEEDS OF UNIVERSITY THREE BUILDING SCHEMES SUGGESTED The generous offer of the honorary medical staff to make a grant of £1,500 for the erection and equipment cf a second theatre at the Dunedin Public Hospital—an urgent necessity to assist medical teaching—was forwarded to the Otago University Council yesterday afternoon by Sir Lindo Ferguson, dean of the Medical Faculty. It is hoped that the theatre will be ready by the opening of the university session in March of next year, as the erection is to be suggested to the Government as an urgent educational work. The Chancellor (Mr W. J. Morrell) said the council would most thankfully recognise the generosity of the medical staff Their offer was a fine action, and should do much to facilitate the desired erection of the theatre.

Sir Lindo Ferguson said he wanted immediate action, as the theatre was a need of considerable urgency. _ Mr F. W. Mitchell; Is it not a question for the Hospital BoqrdP Dr James Fitzgerald said the proposal would be decided finally by the Hospital Board, as the new theatre and outpatients’ department were interdependent questions. He did not know whether the board was prepared to take immediate action. Mr L. D. Ritchie said the council would have noticed the announcement by the Prime Minister that the Ministers in charge of the various departments had been asked to prepare schedules of work. The Government, ho thought, had shown and would show its interest in education ; practical interest in the legitimate ideals of education had been displayed in the ro-estab!is’i-ment of the Dunedin Training College. Otago University had increased in the number of students, hut the efficiency had decreased. The Government would support any reasonable request. The council should, without delay, place licfore the Government the necessity for certain buildings to give efficiency in education. He moved that the -Ministers be urged to approve of the erection of the theatre and bio'ogical and library buildings. A biological building, which had been recommended by the school’s distinguished professor for years, was urgently needed, and a library was required for not only the great gift from the Carnegie Corporation but for the big accessions of books annually.

“ The buildings are absolutely necessary for the proper and efficient carrying on of the University,” said Mr Ritchie. _ “ The Government has told us that it is going to spend money on legitimate assets. There can be no greater assets than these necessary buildings for the University.” When a committee was proposed to draw up a communication to the Ministers of Health and Education, Dr James Fitzgerald asked: “Are you going to ride over the Hospital Board or co-operate with it?”

The Chancellor: You must co-operate with the board.

Mr Ritchie said he had not the faintest desire to enter into conflict with the Hospital Board. When the Government asked that necessary works should ho put before it, the council, as a public body, would be failing in its duty if it did not act. The council’s suggestions would be sympathetically regarded as being the needs of the community . Sir Lnido Ferguson said the question of a second theatre had been previously discussed. The Hospital Board was interested in the first theatre so far as its nurses were concerned, but it could not face any expense of a second theatre. The board had promised, however, every assistance in its power to help the Medical School. Dr F. C. Batchelor; The board is giving the site.

The information that some time ago the Government had asked for a three years’ programme of urgent works in primary education was given by Mr James Wallace. -

Professor Bell doubted the wisdom of writing to the Ministers, as the other colleges, which wore collaborating in presenting the University needs, might think the council was attempting to steal a march.

“ The theatre must be gone on with at once,” declared Sir Lindo Ferguson. Mr Ritchie's motion was carried, and the Chancellor, Sir Lindo. Messrs Mitchell. Wallace, L. D.j Ritchie, and J. W. Dove were appointed a committee to prepare the letter to tho Ministers The appreciation of the council of tho medical staff’s generosity was placed on record.