NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22776, 9 July 1937, Page 15

NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL

Sir. —If the Auckland Hospital Board thinks it can solve the problem of hospital expansion to serve the needs of the people living within the boundaries of its large district by specialising on 0110 large building oil the present site, without a general declaration of policy for future requirements, it will make a big mistake. For years the people have been clamouring for such n definition of policy. If the slump had not come I believe there would have been a hospital across the water five years ago. When conditions commenced to improve I pressed the board for an early declaration of hospital . expansion policy, especially in regard to letting the people of the North Shore know what the future expansion was going to bo, and it was agreed that the people across the water were entitled to this. A deputation waited on the board in February, 1935, led by Mr. R. Martin, Mayor of Northcote, urging finality in regard to hospital facilities at the North Shore. At a meeting of the board in March things had got so far that I proposed ''that the question of providing hospital facilities at the North Shore be finalised and. if necessary, sketch plans of a suitable structure be submitted to the board for further consideration." Mr. E. H. Potter and Dr. Gunson warmly supported this. On a vote, however, it was decided to defer the matter for three months to allow the new board to deal with it. We have the declaration two years afterwards that "there is no possibility of the board building a hospital on the North Shore now, but that they (the board) were determined to give some medical service.." My opinion is that the people of the North Shore will be as equally determined to do something else before this time next year, because a wide, comprehensive declaration for future needs depends on more than a main building. W. £. Howitt.