HOSPITAL FOR NELSON

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12423, 17 April 1926, Page 2

HOSPITAL FOR NELSON

NEW BUILDING OPENED

Completed cost £65,000. Per Press Association. NELSON, ‘April 16. Nelson’s new public hospital, a fine bride structure costing £65,000, providing for' 109 bedt, and filled, .with the) very latest, equipment, was ’ officially oppned,.to-day. by the - Hon. J. A. Young, Jlinister for Public Health. There was a large gathering of the public. The chairman of the Hospital Board, Mr George ’Bout, referred to the late Air Thomas Cawthron’s generous gift of £16,000 and Which carried a Government subsidy, and the £IB,OOO. burden of taxation was thus correspondingly less in the new hospital. There were one, two, three, and four-room wards, in addition, to the public wards, that will be availed of by those in a position to pay. Mr KoUt acknowledged the work of the contractors, W. Williamson, of Christchurch, and said that from the commencement of the work over two years ago the hoard had ho reason to maid! a single complaint,,. Mr Young said.". . the opening of 6tich a magnificent building' marks a milestone in the . progress of the community. He referred to the latemunificent bequest of Mr Thomas CaWthron. The Government, ho said, recognised its responsibility in Subsidising this sum to the extent of £IB,OOO, which came out oF the consolidated revenue. . A further £27,000 had been raised by the ratepayers, of which amount, the Government paid half; so the contribution by the Government vvas really £31,500. If there were any in the community who sometimes thought the levy too much, ho reminded them that the department kept a close chefck on expenditure. In 1914-15 the board had provision for SO beds, and now there woe provision for 109, including ten for maternity service. Hie number of beds per thousand of the population in 1914 was three, in 1924-2 o it was 4.1, and in the new hospital 4.3. The averago number of beds for the Dominion last year was 4.4, but the average occupied was three, Nelson’s average occupied beds was 2.3; the deduction being that Nelson was evidently a very healthy .community, and ho congratulated them. Nelson’s sunshine, although not apparent just then (laughter) was famed throughout New Zealand.

Beferring to the fact that the tenders provided" for maternity oases, the Minister said it was beyond the ability of the average working man to provide liis wife with proper service. The Government recognised this, and the Prime Minister had remarked that the best immigrant 1 WaA the little immigrnntjrho conies in to- the home. Mothers should be offered every facility, and hospital boards should develop the maternity side of its service.

The- Minister congratulated the architect (Mr A. B. Griffin, of Nelson), and the builder, W. Williamson, of Christchurch, for their splendid Work. After the official .opening the building was inspected liy a large number of the public, and it will remain open for public inspection for one week to enable the ]>eople to see what has been provided and wliat they contributed towards.