HOSPITAL NEEDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23507, 18 November 1939, Page 13

HOSPITAL NEEDS

NEWj BUILDING PLAN BLOCK URGENTLY REQUIRED TALKS WITH DEPARTMENT Discussions will be held next week between the Health Department and representatives of the Auckland Hospital Board concerning the scheme for building at the infirmary. This is designed to relievo the congestion at the hospital.

The need for more accommodation for patients lias been discussed by the Building Committee. Two members of the board, Mr. E. H. Potter .and Mr. J. V. Macky, and the architect, Mr. H. Farrell, are to visit Wellington next week. They will discuss the scheme with the Health Department and invite its co-operation, to enable the work to be started without delay.

Tho chairman, Mr. Allan J. Moody, stated yesterday that tho board regarded the scheme as a most urgent work. He thought the building proposals would open tho way for bringing the major hospital plan nearer to fruition. He emphasised, however, that no major scheme would be considered before all the local contributing authorities had been consulted. A properly co-ordinated plan was contemplated at the infirmary, and that was included in tho original estimate of £1,500,000, which it was considered a major undertaking would cost.

The new block at the infirmary, the chairman continued, would probably be ef three to five storeys, it being necessary to look well ahead. The work would bo of a progressive nature. It was considered that tho proposed new block would eventually bo extended to complete a proper lay-out. Definite building plans would be prepared as soon as the scheme was officially sanctioned. Mr. Moody added that, as the result of economies, the board had saved oyer £17,000 this year, and by next March he believed that the saving would amount to more than £25,000.