MATERNITY HOSPITAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21165, 24 October 1930, Page 10

MATERNITY HOSPITAL

QUESTION OF LOCALITY. LONDON STREET SITE SELECTED. INTERESTED BODIES CONFER. After nearly 12 months of consideration and reconsideration by the Otago Hospital Board, the University Council, and officials of the Department of Health, the vexed question of a site for Dunedin’s new maternity hospital has at last been settled Two sites had been under consideration, one in London street and one in Cumberland street, and after the advantages and disadvantages of both of these had been fully discussed by a combined conference of the Otago Hospital Board and the University Council, held subsequent to the board’s monthly meeting last night, it was finally decided that the section in London street would be preferable. This was the site originally a ? r sed on by the board, but the claims 0 j location in Cumberland street were advocated in certain quarters to such purpose that a special committee was set up to go into the matter and frame a report.

' This report, recommending that the Cumberland street site be chosen, was submitted to the conference last evening, and its adoption was moved by Sir Lindo Ferguson. Mr J. W. Scurr seconded, the motion. . Mr J. W. Dove said he regretted that the_ necessity arose to take an antagonistic attitude towards the recommendation, but he bad a duty towards the people and the motherhood of the city, and he would move as an amendment—“ That the orginal decision to choose the London street site be adhered to.” One of the arguments put forward against the London ii, re TiT 81 ' va , a that it was too far from tjic Hospital, but he would point out that the Batchelor Hospital in Forth street was . much further away, and since its establishment there had been 3066 cases received by it, of which it had been found necessary to transfer only 49 to the main institution. After all, the difference between the Cumberland and London streets sitea and the Hospital was a mere bagatelle, Moreover, he considered that a saving could be effected by utilising the Bondon street site. The medical faculty, in advocating the Cumberland street site, was influenced by the necessity for trainii!?,- m iu lca i. s^'ud . e^^ 3 ’ but he maintained that the hospital should be erected, f ? r be ! lefit °f the medical students, but for the mothers of Dunedin °1 the position was finance. They had been told by the medical superintendent that the London street Iw, Yu U i d - f 80 9 per annum more than that in Cumberland street, but the f9nfinn ß,te C j U d n S! : be. for less than £20,000, and as the interest on this t M, would - be , fl2oo Per annum, where would the saving be. Moreover, there was the question of compensation and the removal of the present occupiers of the Kconsidered, and in view of this he did not see how they could mike a start m Cumberland street i n less than They should be up and doing, cqUlre th ? London street property, which was. quoted at £6400, although he did not think they would have to pay so much as that.

Mrs Macdonald seconded Mr Dove’s motion. She knew how difficult it was wome n to go to a medical school a the Minister of Stallworthy) had said that when the new hospital was erected l& ta Z (rald l l a , v , e the right to say whether they would be attended by medical students or mot she doubted if this would be the cafe jf it were built on the Cumberland street site. Failing the location in London street,, she would sug. Wln ß. in the grounds of the main hospital, and an extension of the outdoor service to mothers in their homes. ~Lr J. , Fitz S eral d, at this stage said he thought he should explain how the,question of the proposed acquisition of the Dunedin bowling green came up. A representative of the Department of Health had come to Dunedin, and after inspecting all the sites, had asked the dean of *h® medical faculty (Sir Lindo Ferguson) why the bowling green should not be taken.

Sir Lindo Ferguson: That is absolutely accurate. , The bowling green site had never been seriously considered, although it is the best of all.

Sir Liudb Ferguson went on to say. that Mr Dove had overlooked one important factor. If a separate institution were built in Loudon street they would have to build a kitchen, accommodation for the staff and porters, and dining and sitting rooms for the nurses. By utilising the Cumberland street site, they could make use of the Hospital kitchen and heating apparatus, and the accommodation m the nurses’ home, and effect a saving of approximately £IO,OOO. From the Medical School - point of view, the two sections of the department controlled by the new professor should be as close together as possible. The board had as much interest in the Medical School as the University Council, and if the school were to be carried on, they must have the opportunity of training students. Mothers were infinitely better off in a well-equipped maternity hospital than they were in their own homes, and they had to see that when the hospital came, it would be a nursery in which the medical men of the future could acquire experience. He had always been in favour of the nearest site to the Hospital, and he had recognised London street, only as an alternative. For future development and in view of possible expansion he considered that the areas adjacent to the main Hospital should be zoned for hospital purposes, since from the Medical School point of view, it was of the utmost importance to have the work concentrated as much as possible. His staff, the medical faculty, and the departmental officials were all in favour of the Cumberland street site, which, from every point of view, he himself considered distinctly preferable. Dr Newlands said that on the balance of advantages he had to vote for the London street site. The distance from the Hospital was of no material consequence. With regard to cost, he fully agreed that extra expenditure would he necessary, but he did not think this would be anywhere near £IO,OOO. Even allowing for the extra cost, a substantial saving would be effected on account of the difference in the cost of the two sitea.

Dr Fitzgerald agreed with Mrs Macdonald that women were not willing to go into a maternity hospital attached to the main institution, and it was in the interests of the students as well as the patients that the hospital should be self-contained. If they were going to train students they had to make residential provision for them.

Replying to Dr Lindo Ferguson, Mrs Macdonald said she fully realised that they had to attend to the training of students, but the interests of the women and of the ratepayers had to be studied. The chairman said that although he had first been in favour of the Cumberland street site, he was now, after giving the matter earnest consideration and viewing the situation from all angles, in favour of a self-contained institution. He was of opinion that it would be of advantage to _ the patients, and he was convinced it would be of benefit to the students and the Medical School. Moreover, a considerable saving would be effected when they took into consideration the respective capital values of the two properties. He was sure that if the new hospital were built in London street it would become a credit to the townj and a greater success than it could be in Cumberland street. The amendment was then put to 'the meeting, and was carried by nine votes to seven. Mr Dove then moved—“ That this combined meeting of the Otago Hospital Board and the University Council urge on the Department of Health the immediate necessity for procuring the site as recommended by this meeting.” Mr J. C. Stephens seconded the motion, which was carried.