NEW HOSPITAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23215, 8 December 1938, Page 16

NEW HOSPITAL

CHAIRMAN DETERMINED SCHEME TO BE PRESSED URGING ECONOMY FOLIC?, APPEAL FOR CO-OPERATION " I have started this thing and it is going to move," said the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr. Allan J. Moody, in explaining to the One Tree Hill Borough Council last night the building plans for the hospital. "Already* there has been a little sign of stalling," ho said. "If I cannot get a 100 per cent perfect hospital then the sooner I am out the better. If I can say at the end of my term of office that a start has been made on the building I shall be satisfied."

Mr. Moody said he did not want it to bo thought that the board's ideas were extravagant. On the contrary, since he had become chairman ho had striven to keep a strict hand on expenditure. Some of the expenditure had horrified him and he had tried to educate the board toward greater economy.

Checking Expenditure " Wo have saved the board £IOOO today on a certain matter dealing with extra staff at the hospital," Mr. Moody said. "It is not a big sum, perhaps, but it shows how we are trying to check expenditure. Careful consideration of contracts, tenders and other matters has saved nearly £SOOO since I joined the board. " I do not want to shock the public, but I do say the sick have a right to get the best facilities possible. I must awake the public to a sense of its responsibilities in this matter and the inadequacy of the facilities. I feel confident that if we can show tho Minister of Health, the Hon. P. Fraser, that wo have a proper scheme for the development of tho hospital in a businesslike way we shall have the department behind us. If any local bodies want to attack us we are prepared." Long Task Involved

Mr. Moody said ho understood there was a move to got the Minister to take action, but those responsible need not worry. He had said all along that there would be ample opportunity for discussion of the project. The board would prefer co-operation to criticism, but criticism was not going to stop it.

" This scheme does not mean we are going to ask for £1,500,000 to-morrow," Mr. Moody said. "The complete schgme may take five, 10, 15 or even 25 years. Wo shall commence it and the building will go up section by section. And all the money is not going into the Auckland Hospital. The scheme considers a recovery hospital, extra land, another wing for the infirmary and a chest hospital, among other things. Move For Conference " I am going to lay tho scheme now before the citizens of Auckland and the Government. In fact I am going to make demands of the Government. The time is past for delay." After Mr. Moody had left, a letter was considered from tho Takapuna Borough Council asking for support and co-operation in its action in asking the Minister of Health to convene a conference of contributing local authorities in Auckland to consider details of the Hospital Board's loan expenditure. The letter was received.