THE PROPOSED NEW HOSPITAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 23 January 1912, Page 5

THE PROPOSED NEW HOSPITAL.

VIEW OF THE INSPECTOR-

GENERAL

At the monthly meeting of the Hawera Hospital Board on Monday the following letter was read, from5 Dr Vahntine, Inspector-General of Hospitals:— ■ ■'•'■;

A'On January 8, in company with the' chairman, L visited the Hawera Hos.pital. There were ten patients under treatment. The wards, especiallythe male wards, were in good order, though the plastering in the lavatories needs to be repaired. . The female ward has been much improved by the erection, or a verandah on the eastern aspect, but this ward requires general renovation, and the same applies to the lavatories connected with it. The roof over the administrative block, notably the kitchen, is rusty, and I was not surprised to hear that it leaked. Considerable renovation' at your hospital is" therefore necessary. I am aware that some members of your Board are of opinion that it would be false economy" to expend much money on renovation and that it would perhaps be better toerect a new institution. There is un- ■ doubtedly some truth in this argument but with all respect to those members* 1 would point out that the woodwork' is sound, and there is nothing to be seen m the building to suggest decay or lnsamtation. Though the buildingis not a convenient one for administration, the wards are clean, cheerful, and have fair aspects. Moreover, the .time is not opportune for embarking on an expenditure that the erection of a new: hospital would entail, as is evidenced by the prices recently tendered for the erection of some of our public instilu-• tions. There would appear to belittle- ; competition, prices are high, and speaking generally, workmanship ik bad. Again, it would be unwise to erect a new, building on the present section. The section itself is well situated, but is rather small for thetuture requirements of the district- and -• I submit, with all respect, that it would be.sound policy for your Board to endeavor to acquire land adjoining the present site before considering the erection of any new buildings thereon As the population of the district ml creases, it may be necessary to erect an Old People's iHome, though the time is not yet, but when that time does come the present hospital buildings might be admirably fitted for the purpose, and your Board would then have the chance of erecting a thoroughly modern ,hospital."

Mr Goodland ' said he would oppose' any considerable sum of money on the present building. He thought it would s>onH S* economy to. spend £2000 oridUOO in renovating the buildino- ft was probable that a hospital sufficient tor the Board's district could be built for £10,000-to £15,000, and he/ believed they could raise a \part of themoney under the terms granted to local bodies. He held strongly that a new building was necessary. Mr Tarrant said he did not think it would be necessary to spend anything like £3000 in renovating the building. Mr Tayler considered that the hospital might be repaired so as to enable it in the future to be used as an Old Men's Home.

Mr Tarrant said that while some of the timber was bad, a lot of it was sound.

The Chairman stated that he was not agreeable to spend too' much money on it. There—was no doubt the building could be repaired to enable it to be used in the direction suggested by Mr Tarrant.

Mr Wells was decidedly of ther opinion that a new building was necessary.

Mr Marx counselled taking steps immediately in the ntatter and to make a beginning, even if it took three years before the commencement of ■ a new building could be made. He thought they should first go into the question of purchasing a site. He considered that there would be no dimculty m raising the necessary money, securing part of it from the Government by way of subsidy.

Mr Parrington (secretary) said he* did not think the Board would get,a, subsidy on borrowed money. •. Eventually, after further discussion^ it was resolved that the previous resolution (providing, for a committee to go> into the matter of financing and drawing up of plans) be rescmdedi

Mr Bridge then moved: "That, in. view of the Inspector-General's report, the hospital he repaired and renovated, and that the .committee, consisting of Messrs Marx, Tayler, Wells, Goodland, and the Chairman, he appointed to getoffers of a suitable area for erecting a. new hosmtal.

Mr Duirs seconded the motion, which was carried.