LAUNDRY WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22988, 16 March 1938, Page 18

LAUNDRY WORK

HOSPITAL PIIOBLEM CONTRACT WITH FIRM LACK OF ACCOMMODATION Tho disposal of the Auckland Hospital's laundry work and equipment to a private laundry company as a temporary expedient was approved by the Hospital Board at a meeting yesterday. It whs stated that lack of room at'the hospital had made it impossible to do the laundry work properly and until sufficient accommodation could bo provided the transfer of tho task to a company would be tho surest means oi having it done as it should he. Care had been taken, however, to ensure that tho hospital portion would be segregated from the rest of tho work (iono by tho company, which was able to provide a self-conta ned building for nil the hospital laundry. The chairman, the Rev. W. C. Wood, said this means of coping with tho hospital's laundry would save tho board up to £.'3000 and give it ci breathing 'space for the selection of a proper site and the erection of a better building. Present facilities at the hospital •,vere hopelessly inadequate. Hundreds of pounds were also being lost because the staff, in an effort to keep up with the work, was overloading tha machines, with consequent ill effects upon the linen. The recommendation for the disposal of the work ms.de by a special meeting of the Finance and Buildings Committee. Mrs. M. M. Dreaver objected to the proposal. She said it would mean that the hospital was admitting its; inability to deal with its own affairs-. She also objected to the principle of giving the work to a private business, which must be conducted for the purpose of making a profit.

Mr. Wood said he was surprised that a person on a local lody should be so ignorant of the matter as to take the attitude Mrs. Dreiver had adopted. The whole matter had been gone into thoroughly and the board was obviously taking the right step in tho circumstances. It was not to be permanent. The recommendation was approved and Mrs. Dreaver gave notice of her intention to move an the next meeting that the decision be rescinded.