HASTINGS HOSPITAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 77, 13 March 1934, Page 6

HASTINGS HOSPITAL

FINANCING ADDITIONS More Information Sought DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S LETTER Further information relative to the Memorial Hospital at Hastings was yesterday asked of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board by the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. H. Watt, his special I request being for further particulars i at to the financing of the proposed ad- | ditions. The Director-General pointed out j that according to information obtained by Dr. Shore m November, a real necessity for additional accommodation I tor general cases at either Hastings or : Napier was not then apparent. The letter, which was reiorred to the Hastings committee without discussion, waa as follows: — “1 should be glad to be informed of the present position regarding the board's proposals to extend the Hastings Memorial Hospital. From a statement appearing on January 12 it would appear that the board has decided to get the sum of £5OOO towards tho capital cost by selling some of the mortgages comprised in the Kelly be- , quest. I understand that some encroachment into the capital of the bequest has been made ’to repay advances by the Public Trustee, and that further encroachment will be necessary later to imburse the special fund created by Mrs Lowry’s gift and accrued interest, and also the unexpend, cd balance of McHardy gift and subsidy. USE OF EARTHQUAKE LOAN. “Towards the capital cost of the proposed additions tho board bas proposed to use the Napier Hospital earthquake restoration moneys, but waa advised that this was not permissible. Please state what alternative •ource of finance is therefore proposed on this account. “Before the board commits itself to expenditure in connection with proposed additions for general eases at Hastings, it is essential that it be assured of sufficient annual income permanently from the Kelly bequest and similar special funds for the Hastings Hospital to cover any increased maintenance eost which will be entailed by enlarging the hospital. “Tn earlier communications to the board it has been pointed out that an assured income of £lOOO per year from •uch special funds is necessary (after providing £5OOO for capital purposes) to comply with the conditions precedent to which the Hon. Minister has signified his consent to the work being proceeded with. “In his letter of November 30, 1933, to yon, the chairman of the Local Government Loans Board, 1 note, advis ed that the Loans Board was not satisfied that there was sufficient income available from the Kelly bequest to ensure that extra maintenance cost* would not fall on the local ratepayers ur the Consolidated Fund. Presumably the Loans Board had fairly recent information in respect of the bequest. SPECIAL CAUTION NECESSARY. “It is to be hoped that the greatly improved wool prices will reflect increased income from the Kelly bequest, and that if the necessary income from special funds is not yet assured, it soon will be. Nevertheless, the desirability of exercising special caution is obvious in order to avoid accusations of extravagance on the part of the board. In this connection I desire to point cut that according to information obtained by Dr. R. A. Shore on the occasion of his visit to Napier and Hastings in November last, real necessity for adding accommodation for general cases at either Napier or Hastings was not then apparent. Close examination of the then waiting list of both hospitals showed that the majority of the cases were not in urgent need of hospital treatment, and in view of the available accommodation there was no apparent reason why those requiring hospital treatment should not receive ft. “If as indicated in the newspaper report above mentioned the board proposes to proceed in the near future with the extension of Hastings Hospital, T should he glad if special consideration could be given to this letter and to he advised of the proposed methods of financing capital cost and n» to the annual income that is to be assured from the Kelly bequest and similar special funds ’’