BOARD’S PROBLEMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22612, 15 April 1948, Page 6

BOARD’S PROBLEMS

WAIAPU HOSPITAL VISIT BY MINISTER UNFINISHED ADDITIONS (S.R.) TE PUIA, April 15. Making her first visit to the East Coast since she assumed office, the Minister of Health, Miss Mabel Howard, arrived at Te Puia yesterday afternoon in the course of a strenuous week’s tour of inspection of hospital institutions, during which time she will visit Napier, Hastings, Gisborne, Te Puia Springs, Opotiki, Whakatane, Tauranga, Te Aroha, Putaruru, Rotorua and Taupo, returning to Wellington on April 19. She was accompanied by the director of the hospitals division of the Health Department, Dr. T. C. McNickle. Mrs. McNickle. and Mr. E. J. Sutch. private secretary. Later in the afternoon the Minister had an informal discussion with members of the Waiapu Hospital Board.

Mr. V. G. IT. Rickard, chairman of the board, in welcoming Miss Howard, expressed the board's gratitude in being able to bring the problems of the board before the Minister in a face-to-face discussion. which, he felt, would do more good and produce better results than

would months of letter writing. Members of the Waiapu Hospital Board were very concerned, said Mr. Rickard, over the slow progress of work on the Te Puia Hospital additions. Contracts let in August, 1944. which it had been anticipated vould be completed in two years were still unfinished. Because of this the provision of up-to-date facilities at the hospital was being seriously retarded. The chairman indicated ‘hat additional grants for capital expenditure would be needed by the beard during the current year <o meet urgent contingencies. There was r he question of the new X-ray plant, said Mr. Rickard, which was quoted at £ISOO, but today would cost £IBOO 1

Hospital Water Supply

The sum of £SOOO was required for tile purpose of renewing the water supply pipe-line to the hospital. Tins was an item which could not be put aside for another year tor Ihe board did not relish a repitition of the worry involved in “nursing’’ the hospital water supply through another long dry-spell like the one just experienced. Water was also needed for providing the Te Puia Hospital and the Waipiro Bay Maternity Home with adequate fire protection. The board has plans remarked Mr. Rickard, for the erection of a reservoir at Te Puia capable of bolding 100.000 to 200,000 gallons for fire-fighting at the main hospital and a small, reservoir for the same purpose at Waipiro Bay. These were expensive items, but absolutely essential. To meet the demands of the hospital additions £ 1600 was the estimated cost to double the. capacity of the existing generating set for electric-power. It was confidently anticipated that with the additional set the hospital plant would be sufficient to cover all requirements for the next six or seven years during which time it was hoped that electric-nower would be reticulated as far as Te Puia, * Gift of Ambulance

The board was anxious to make full use of the spacious basement beneath the new T.B. block, but as the Health Department had advised that no technicians were available to inspect and report on the possibility of using the basement as proposed by the Waiapu board, invaluable space was likely to be wasted.

One portion of the basement was ideal for housing the new ambulance which had been presented free of cost to the board by Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Williams, but until authority was received from the Health Department the basement could not be used for that purpose. This was a matter which the Minister could possibly clear up during her present visit, concluded Mr. Rickard. “Mr. and Mrs. A. B- Williams’ gift of a modern ambulance is indeed. a generous one,” said Miss Howard in reply. She had noted the points raised by Mr Rickard and these would be attended to on her return to Wellington. The Minister expressed regret that her visit, due to pressure of Ministerial business, was a hurried one, but the purpose of the visit was to meet hospital boards and to see something of their hospitals. After the meeting Miss Howard Inspected the Te Puia Hospital and additions and the Waipiro Maternity Home. From her searching questions at the meeting and during the inspection, board members learnt something of the Minister’s wide understanding and deep appreciation of hospital board problems. . Miss Howard leaves for Opotiki today.