THE NEW HOSPITAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6272, 19 May 1881, Page 2

THE NEW HOSPITAL.

The furnishing of the new Hospital, off Adeiaide-road, having been completed, a party consisting of thu Hon. Major Atkinson, the Hon. W. Bollsston, members of the Ministry; Messrs. H. Bunny, W. W. Taylor, Hospital Trustees : Dr. Diver, City Councillor, to whom had been entrusted the preparation of the schedule of articles required ; Mr. J. S. M. Thompson, City Councillor, through whose firm (Thompson, Shannon, and Co.) a portion of the gooes had been ordered ; Mr. A. Dorset, Secretary to the Board of Trustees ; and two representatives of the Press, visited the building on the sth instant. The party passed through all the wards and divisions, and not a little surprise was expressed at the neatness and completeness ot everything that was to be seen. After spending over an hour in the building and grounds, they drove back to the city, evidently highly satisfied with the results of their visit.

It is now about eighteen months since the outer walls of the new Hos-

pital were finished, and many persons who were not acquainted with the extensiveness of the undertaking have probably wondered for what reason such a block of buildings remained untenanted. Those who are conversant with the history of the hospital trust, and with the manner in which those upon whom its administration depended have carried out their duties, are bound to feel that no time has been wasted, but that, on the contrary, everything has been carried out without more delay than was absolutely required to secure that measure of completeness and substantiality which the trustees desired to attain. That they have succeeded in a degree which must be highly satisfactory to themselves must be patent to all who visit the new building. It will not be out of place to look back and explain that the city owes the existence of the new building eutirelyto the provisions which were made by the Provincial Council some seven or eight years ago. A block of laud sloping down from the southern portion of Mount Victoria towards Adelaide-road, aud containing ten acres, were then set aside as a Hospital reserve, not in the shape of an endowment, but for the purpose of having a suitable building erected upon it. A. board of trustees was appointed, and in the course of time funds were found wherewith to proceed with the most practical step of all, namely, the erection of the building. The plans for this were prepared by Mr. 0. J. Toxward, and the contract was let to Messrs. Barry and McDowell, a well known firm, not only in this city, but also in many other parts of the colony. The contract price was £20,000, exclusive of the foundation?. Besides this the Government found prison l-ibor sufficient to fully employ a large brick-making machine. When the building was completed another, and by no means small, task remained, namely, that of furnishing. In this matter the City Council lent a willing hand, and the money being found. Dr. Diver was entrusted with the task of making out the schedule of the necessaries—not by any means a light one, considering the fact that it occupies eighteen sides of foolscap, without repetitions, and that the invoices amount to about £4105. The furnishings were divided into two classes, that comprising the supply of hardware being entrusted to Mr. E. W. Mills, and the other, dealing with soft goods, to Messrs. Thompson, Shannon and Co. That these firms have faithfully carried out their respective contracts is vouched for by every article on the premises. Everything has been specially designed, first of all forthe comfortof thepatieuts, and next with a view to substantiality and neatness. The care with which Dr. Diver compiled the schedules for the various wards and rooms is simply astounding, for nothing appears to be wanting, from the private room of the resident surgeon to the scullery or bath-room. Care has also been taken to lay in such a stock that no fresh purchases will be necessary for a number of years to come. All the articles that admit of it have been marked either ‘’Wellington Hospital" or with the initial letters of the words. In the case of the blankets, which. were manufactured for the institution to the order of Messrs. Thompson, Shannon and Co., the latter are woven in the centre in red wool. All the wards have been fully furnished, except that the linen and blankets have not yet been placed on the beds. One bed had been made up complete for the purpose of allowing the distinguished visitors mentioned elsewhere to form an idea of the manner in which the comfort of patients would be secured. A personal test resulted in the unanimously expressed opinion that there was not an hotel in the city that could boast of anything equal to it. The four large wards each contain twenty-four beds, all furnished with mattrasses. Besides these there are four private wards, each containing one bed, and a number of attendants’ rooms, all of which are furnished in a most complete manner, all the articles being good and substantial as well as neat. It is not an easy matter to give a description of the building by which the reader can form an accurate idea of all the parts. The plan has been so arranged that the centre of the large block is occupied by tbe four large wards which are separated by promenade ground measuring 90ft by 36ft. In front of these wards are a number of attendants’ rooms, measuring 12ft by 12ft. The block made up by the rooms and spaces mentioned is cut off from the rest of the buildings by two corridors, which run through the whole width of the building, that nearest the front measuring 12ft across, and the other Sft. The front corridor in part adjoins the main front wall, but on either side of the main entrance and about half way to the extreme of the wing, private wards measuring 14ft by 14ft, with separate attendant’s rooms, bath rooms, closets, &c., have been erected. The central portion of the front consists of a board or consulting room, 20ft by 12ft, and a medicalofficer’s private room, which leads off it. These are on the left hand upon entering. On the right hand side is a comfortable waiting room 14ft by 9ft, and a dispensary 13ft. by 14ft. The rear of the building, adjoining the smaller corridor, consists of eight lavatories, a similar number of ordinary bath rooms, two steam hath ß , and two plunge baths measuring Sft by Bft, with a depth of Sft. Either hot or cold water may be used at pleasure. There are also two boiler rooms. Exactly midway, the passage is interrupted by two dining rooms, 16ft by 30ft each, one being set aside for males, and the other for females. Connected with these by wo sliding panels is a kitchen, 33ft by 20ft. This is fitted with a 9ft range, capable, it is said, of cooking food for a thousand persona. The central section of the building runs back a distance of 4Sft from this, the space being taken up with larders, store rooms, and several bed rooms, &c. It will be seen that the accommodation for all ordinary patients has been arranged in the centre of the building. The large wards measure 90ft by 24ft, with a height of 20ft. Each has two fire places, light being supplied by 12 windows. Only one small portion of the whole building has a second floor, namely, that nearest the front entrance. A flight of steps on the right hand, and next to the porch, leads to the resident surgeon’s private sitting room, tastefully furnished, with a bedroom leading off it. Another bedroom, at present unfurnished, is the only other room on this floor. The top of the porch has been constructed into a platform, from which an excellent view of the grounds and a portion of the city may be obtained. There are four detached buildings, three of them being in the rear, and one on a terrace to the eastward. The three former consist of a store, laundry, and post mortem and examination rooms, to the latter being also attached a fumigating room. The building on the terrace is the fever ward. It is a complete hospital in itself. The main room measures 42ft. by 24ft. It is furnished after the manneroftheother wards,and has the sameconveniences attached to it. It is here that the only mistake appears to have been made, there being only one fever ward, while two are required to separate the sexes. It is proposed to overcome this difficulty by running a division through the ward. The surrounding grounds have been tastefully laid out, and a number of trees and shrubs have been planted. A large fountain is being erected on the front lawn. Two smaller ones will also play in the inner court?. Prison labor is still employed to level the grounds, which promise to become one of the most attractive spots in the whole of the city.