THE FEVER SITE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6625, 15 September 1908, Page 7

THE FEVER SITE.

PI?OOIOKiUI'XQS Hi:XU TP. HOSPITAL TRUSTEES UUTICISK TUI I ’, GOVERNMENT. A HEATED DEBATE. llm uogutiat ionH holv.ccn the Vvi'lliigUm I i Osp i til I Trusb’c.s and Iho (mf.‘■rmiimd. in regard t<» a site fur an infci.'tion/i tlisciaspa hospital tiavn voaulmd a deadlock. There have keen many meetings of the. Trustees lately 11; cnnneelioii with the matter, have ail been held in camera. -t meeting v.u.s held yesterday iml on the chairman announcing that negotiations had practically come to liuality it was decided to hold the meeting in open council. THE posmox. Briefly stated the position is thiii; Thu Government was to exchange an irea of land at tlio hack of the Menial Hospital at New town fur a portion •jf the Wellington Hospital's endowment land in Levans street. It seemed last week that finality was practically reached and that the exchange ivoiild ho made and Urn fever hospital immediately erected. The scene lias changed however. Tim Government will lint part with its land except on a basis of equal value, and rclnses a grant in connection with the exchange. Tim Government also desires to mal:o all the valuations, linth in regard to the Trustees’ laud and its own. Tile Trustees aro not to have a voice in tho matter, being obliged to submit to the Governments ipso dixit in regard to value, a proceeding which was referred to in rather strong language by some of tho Trustees. The meeting was presided over by the Hon. 0. M. Luke, M.L.0., and tho iitlier trustees present were Messrs .1. Dan Us, If’. G. Bolton, W. H. Hales, tt. London, J. W. McK'.vim, li. C. Kirk and G. Nash. Mr C*. V. Crump, tho Board’s valuer, was also in utton,lance.

All tlio correspondence in connection with the proceedings was laid on the table. VM;,V ACUTE. Tlio Hon. O. M. Luke at the outset said that matters were getting very nnnto, and unless a Hill could he promoted at an early stave it would he 100 late to go on with the question this session. He would not like another year to pass without hotter accommodation being provided for fever patients. The position was becoming most serious. On September 10th the secretary of tho Board of Trustees sent the following totter to the Minister of Hospitals (tlio Hon. 0. Fowlds): — f am instructed by tlio Wellington Hospital Trustees to bring under your notice tlm difference in valua-

tions arrived at by tho Government valuers and by tho Trustees’ vainer. It would seem from Mr Crump's letter [a copy of which wasi enclosed] that tho Government valuers have arrived at their valuation as tlio result of an assumed .sale of tlm whole subdivision at retail prices, whereas our valuer contends that for the purpose of an exchange such as this tho value placed upon the land should bo a wholesale ono and not a retail ono. . I cm instructed to point out that in tho present state of tho laud market in Wellington, it would ho next to impossible to sell tbo sections of such subdivision at remunerative prices within any considerable period, and, as you have said the Crown is adverse to selling any of its land, it would bo apparent that if tho subdivision were put up to lease the sections would bo oven slower in doing off than would freehold ones.

Again ns tho hospital is acquiring tho land for a public purpose end cannot possibly subdivide it, the Trustees submit that it is unfair and inequitable that they .should bn obliged to pay a retail nricn to tbo Crown, as it is impossible for tbo Trustees over to subdivide and so realise a rot-ail price. Tbo Trustees ask that careful consideration may be given to tbo whole question with tho view to your agreeing if possible to the exchange taking effect on the basis of a wholesale value being placed upon your land rather than n retail. Before coming to a conclusion upon film matter the Trustees ivoulfl be glad of a definite a.ssur-

nneo from yon recording tho question of a grant being made by tbo Government to the Trustees by way of subside on the exchange, as you have decided tint in other respects the exchange of land must, bo on the basis of equal values. This suggestion was strongly urged upon you at the recent deputation and you

apneared to he favourably impressed wit.li tbo justice of the claim. Would it he too much to ask that definite assurance might he given to w that tho (Tovernmont will so subsidise the transaction and to what extent? As the matter is very urgent in view of tho necessity for immediate legislation tho Trustees would he grateful if you could deal urgently with this letter. MB, CRUMP'S VALUATIONS. Mr Crump’s letter was ns follows;—, Herewith ulenso receive valuation I for tho nine acres two roods and 1 ten porches as requested by your committee. I have valued it in two separate blocks ns follows The block containing seven acres and fourteen perches I value at £4500. The block containing two acres one rood thirty-six perelief) I value at £750.

With regard to tlio soven-aoro Mode I call it anything but good l building land fsomo of it is nearly useless) with the exception of about: two acres nearest to Coromandel street. It is all steep hill. To form a road, dedicate, lay stormwater and sowago drains, surveying, interest and other expenses would cost more than half the value of tbo land; then vou arc getting further away from the tram, Consequently you" cannot compare the prices of Coromandel street land with this. It is only fit to he subdivided into acre Meeks. The block rnntainmg two arms one rood thirty-six norohes owing to its diene and'mw'tion would be of very little UPC to f?ie wen-acre Mock. W A XT F.YTTOY BFYNY. Tn a subsequent letter. Mr Crump wrote to the chairman of the Hoard stating that he had wailed, at the request of Dr Hnv, on Messrs Martin! sad Aires, the dennrtmont’s valuers.;

and discutsed the position. “I am sorry to say,” lie said, "wo could not agne, as they are ashing a retail price for this land, and they agree with me. it is a retail price, and they say they are entitled to get every penny that it Is possible to get out of it. just as though it was roadnd and ready for the market.” THE BASIS OF EXCHANGE. In reply. Hr Hay, Inspector-Gene-ral of Mental Hospitals, sent tho following : By direction of tho Hon. the Minister I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of the 10th iust., and to .state that the basis of exchange must he that of equal value as determined by the. Government Valuation .Department. Ho is anxious that there should not ho any further delay in view of tho necessary legislation. If tho trustees indicate what property it is they propose to give in exchange, tiie valuation will ho proceeded witii forthwith. With regard to a grant in connection witix the proposed exchange of property, 1 am instructed bo inform you that the Government cannot accede to the wishes of tho Trustee.';. GOVERNMENT VALUATION.

On August 2(lth tho Inspector-Gene-ral of Mental Hospitals forwarded tho Government valuations. Ho wrote: I have the honour, on behalf of tho Hon. the Minister, to restate his willingness, subject to the consent of Parliament, to exchange for tho purposes of tho infections diseases hospital a portion of the asylum reserve for town land of equal value vested in the Hospital Trustees. As you aro aware, tho result of meetings upon the ground of persons representing the several parties interested was to indicate tho area more or less suitable for a site for tho above purpose. These sites have now been surveyed, and their boundaries and areas are set fortli in plans herewith marked 1 and 2. The values placed on the land aro as follows: Flan No. 1; That portion containing 7 acres 0 roods 13. G porches is valued at £f>-IGO; that portion containing 2 acres 1 rood 30 perches at £1520. This is tho area tho utility of which iu any future subdivision of the estate would bo lost to us on account of the continuation of Coromandel street in a straight lino as shown in tho plan and tiro loss of

frontages on tlm adjacent part of the scven-acro area. As this triangular area would be of no uso to you for building, it is merely included on the understanding that it might bo taken over by the Trustees for plantations if tho value placed on it were sufficiently low and within their means. . . . OOVEiBNJfEKT’S OBDURACY.

When tho letters on tho subject had been read, tho chairman said there was not tho slightest prospect of getting assistance of any kind' from the Government. It was wrong for tho Government to take up such a position. 'Wellington was diilercntly situated to any other district in tho Dominion. The Minister said there was no precedent for a cash grant, and tho Government could not sco its way to establish a precedent. Wellington possessed fewer endowments than other places, and there was Jess public land to como upon, and ho thought it scarcely fair for such obduracy to bo displayed on tlio part of the Government.

Air Kirk considered that tho Government or the Valuation Department should bo asked to value the Trustees’ R.ovnna street land, and that the valuation should be available for tho next meeting of tho House Committee Thursday next. The Trustees should be able to see what the Government proposed to give for their land. The Government might cut down tho Trustees’ valuation, and at the same time make tho hospital pay a very high price for the Government land. It was then a question for tho Trustees to decide whether they would go on with the matter. He moved in the direction indicated as to valuation.

Tho chairman pointed out that the medical fraternity, in conjunction witli tho trustees, had chosen the site. The whole circumstances were so changed now, however, that it might bo necessary to look into the whole matter afresh. The Trustees had asked for a third party to be engaged to help solve the dilficnlty, but tho Government would not listen to such a proposition. “THE MAD POLICY.” Mr London regretted exceedingly that the Government had not acceded to tho very temperate requests of the Trustees. Laud at the present time was not worth so much as it was some time ago. There was every indication that “the mad policy” in regard to land values had passed and tho public had now a better idea of the value of land. Ho was more inclined to accept Mr Crump’s valuation than that of tho gentlemen tho Government depended on for its land values. He bad visited the proposed site and it seemed that only a very limited area could bo seriously considered for subdivision purposes. The Government seemed to think tho property had only to to roivdcd and cut up and it, would he “rushed.” There was no justification for such an opinion. It was regrettable that tho H’on. Mr Fowlds was not amenable to reason. The land had an inflated value. Mr Fowlds' opinion was most inconsistent, and there was no warranty, oven with ins experience, for claiming the price asked. The letter convoying the nows of tho disinclination of the Government to mako a grant came from Dr Hay. Ho presumed it should have come from Ur Valintme as htad of the Hospitals Department. The chairman said tho Trustees appealed to tho Government, not to Dr Hay. Dr Valintine was head of the Department of Hospitals, but ho could not move in tho matter at all. ANOTHER SITE SUGGESTED.

Mr London referred to another site. Ho said ho claimed some knowledge of land values, A little further south of tho proposed site-a considerable area lof land had been cut up a short time ‘ago. It had originally been £BO an acre. Some of it was now on tho .market at £125 an acre. There was land in Wellington quite as suitable and of similar conformation to that which tho Government was offering to bo obtained at a much less price. Mr Kirk said when tho Government placed a value on property for taxation purposes the persona affected—if tho values wore in any way unreasonable—bad the privilege of submitting tho values to a special Assessment 'Court, which, finally decided the values. Ho considered this procedure should bo followed in the present case.

The Hon. Mr Luke said the contention was fair and reasonable, but it appeared from the Government’s at-

titude that tho Trustees were to got nothing at all. LOOK ELSEWHERE.

Mr Nash thought tho Trustees should look elsewhere lor a site. It might be advisable to select a site nearer the city, or perhaps go into one of tho suburbs. There was a good deal of suburban land available at a price much lower Hum the Government was asking. Tho present negotiations must fall through, and it behoved them to get another site. Tiie chairman said the changed circumstances might warrant the Trustees taking that course. The medical stall' had hit on the site because it was considered that by having the fever hospital erected on the Government land t)ic cost of administration would lie made cheaper. They had acted in tho interests of the Government and tho country as a whole. If another site was selected tho Government would have to pay considerably more money than if its site was taken. The Government would have to subscribe onehalf tiie cost in addition to equipment and buildings. A QUID PRO QUO.

Mr Bolton said it would seem from tho attitude tho Government took up that the Trustees wanted to cut up the land and make money out of it. The Trustees should get the Revtuis street land valued and see that they got a quid pro quo. Wellington had never got fair ireatirent in regard to endowments. Mr McEwan said the matter was a most urgent one. Tho Trustees were no further on than they were twelve mouths ago. It might be as well to adopt Mr London’s suggestion and see if there was another site available. Tlio Hon. Mr Luke said there had been two stages. First there was pressure on tho Government to give tlio site because it was dose to the present hospital and would cheapen the administration. That had taken nearly two years to get through. They emerged from that stage subject to au agreement as to value and mode of payment. It had taken from then to the present time to arrive at a value. They would have now till next Thursday to view the situation, and tljen they would see tho value put on the Rovans street property by the Government.

Mr Kirk's motion was carried, and it was agreed that a letter embodying it should he forwarded to the Minister and a copy of tho same to Dr Hay. AN ASSESSMENT COURT. Mr Kirk then moved: — That tho Minister bo asked to reconsider the question of valuation if cither party were dissatisfied, and in that case tlio matter be referred to a special Assessment Court, the same as if tho value were being made for taxation purposes. Mr Bolton thought this side of the question should be left till after the Trustees met on Thursday. THE PUBLIC WORKS ACT’. Mr London referred to the Government bargaining in the matter in the same spirit as a freeholder. He wondered if tho land could bo taken under tho Public Works Act. Voices: We can’t take Crown land. Mrjbondon said it was a case or the Minister for Hospitals working against tho Minister for Mental Hospitals. Ho should bo asked to assert himself this time as Minister for Hospitals. A discussion then ensued as to the Government wishing to do all the valuing and not allowing the Trustees a voice in tho matter. This was referred to by several of the Trustees as “a monstrous thing.” Mr MclCwan: The Government would not have any arbitrator in tho matter. Air Kirk; Tho Minister does not seem to hold any opinion himself at all. He accepts Dr Hay’s version. The motion was carried.