H.B. FALLEN SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 14, 30 December 1925, Page 4

H.B. FALLEN SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —As one ot the Hastings representatives on the Hospital Board, wil! you allow me to explain that the Board is in. no wav responsible for the delay which still continues. It will be remembered that in October last a deputation from the Board and the Hastings committee interviewed Dr. Valintine, who refused to agree to the Board granting £3500 towards the erection of the hospital, and who offered plans prepared bv the Department. Dr. Valintine gav c us a guarantee that the building would not cost more than £22,000. and made it quite clear that it was fiis final word in the matter. The Hastings committee adopted th® plans, and so did tho Hospital Board, but the committee requested the Board to forward the plans on to the medical staff for their approval, and the” were sent on accordingly. About a week ago tho plans were returned to the Hastings committee along with numerous suggested alterations by the medical staff, and there. «o far as the Board’s responsibility is concerned, the matter ends. But to our surprise a few days ago. back came the plans to the Board, with a request from Mr. Ebbett that we should forward them on to Dr. Valintine, which is of course in no wav the Board’s business, as Mr. Ebbett surely knows. It is solelv a matter for the Hastings committee as to what action thev take in connection with tho plans. The Board’s authority in tho matter ended with the approval of the plans, and Mr. Ebbett will no doubt receive the plans back to-day. Is there nobody on the Hastings committee with enough public spirit to demand that the work shall immediately proceed, or are they going to sit down for another year or two? —I am, etc. L. W. FOWLER.