THE HOSPITAL SITE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6311, 11 September 1907, Page 5

THE HOSPITAL SITE

QUESTION TO BE RECONSIDERED. MEDICAL ASSOCIATION’S : VERDICT.. At the meeting of the Hospital Trustees yesterday, the chairman (Hon. C. H. Luke) referred to the controversy that had been raging regarding the site for the fever hospital, lie expressed the indebtedness of the Trustees to the Hon. T. K. Macdonald, who had taken a strong attitude in the Legislative Council. The matter was not yet closed. During the discussion many statements had been made as to the unsuitability of the site for a fever hospital, owing to its close proximity to dwelling-houses. He had conferred with the Hon. Dr Collins, and, as a result, the question had been submitted to the Wellington branch of the British Medical Association. Personally, Dr Collins 'had . no doubt as to the suitability of the Bite and its security from spreading contagion Dr Ewart communicated the question to the Medical Association, and the reply, dated the 6th inst., was as follows: At a meeting of the division, held .on September 6th, your letter, asking on behalf of the chairman of the Hospital Trustees for an expression of opinion as to whether a hospital for Infectious cases placed ili the grounds of the Mental Hospital would be dangerous to the health of the Inhabitants of Newtown, was considered. It was unanimously resolved that, provided the recommendations of the Local Government Board of England, via., that all buildings be placed at least forty feet from the - boundary of the grounds, and that a boundary wall of at least six feet high be built, ore carried out, there can be no danger. The chairman thought that silenced beyond doubt the quibbles that had been raised by those who were opposed to the site. The area was five acres, and the proposition of the Trustees was to put the building as far back as the configuration of the land would permit. Mr. F. T. Moore: That destroys the whole force of the argument of the Attorney-General that the value of property there will be depreciated by the erection of this building. In any case, I thought that a mercenary argument for a member of the Government to advance, seeing that the health of the people is surely of more importance than money. A vote pf thanks was passed to the Medical Association.

In reply to. a request from the Trustees that the matter of granting a site should be reconsidered, the InspectorGeneral of Hospitals wrote that it would he again brought before the Minister.