HOSPITAL EXTENSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23330, 23 October 1937, Page 14

HOSPITAL EXTENSION

CLOSING OF CITY STREET COUNCIL TO BE APPROACHED A FAR-REACHING PROPOSAL If the Otago Hospital Board can persuade' the City Council of the necessity and feasibility of the plan, Cumberland street will in the near future be cut in two through the acquisition by purchase of the whole of that section of the thoroughfare which lies between the Frederick and Hanover street intersections. By this means it is hoped to facilitate Hospital extensions which are at present under consideration and to enable the establishment of a self-contained Hospital block. It is a proposal of some magnitude, by reason of the issues involved, and the Otago Hospital Board is aware that it is asking a good deal of the city authorities, but it intends to put a strong case before the council, and to this end a deputation from the board will meet the Works Committee of the council on Monday week. Asked what the council's attitude to the proposal was, the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) said yesterday that the matter had not been before the council, but it would no doubt be referred to that body after the Works Committee had met representatives of the Hospital Board.

Commenting on the subject to a Daily Times reporter yesterday, Mr A. F. Quelch, in the absence of the chairman of the board (Mr J. W. Dove), said that, in view of the comprehensive nature of hospital extentions contemplated, it had been decided to ask the City Council to close the street altogether. It had already been agreed that the board should acquire the whole of the eastern side of Cumberland street from Frederick street to Hanover street, but even if it did that the position would not be altogether satisfactory, as it would mean that a busy thoroughfare carrying a great deal of traffic would be passing through the centre of the Hospital property. There had been enough trouble in the past about noises in the vicinity of the Hospital, and although every effort was made to reduce it to an absolute minimum it had not been abated nearly enough yet. The closing .of Cumberland street at this point would at least assist in that direction.

Mr Quelch said that the Hospital Board had already acquired the land and buildings adjoining the nurses' home in Cumberland street, and also the property on the corner of Hanover and Cumberland streets. It remained now only to secure possession of the Dunedin Club's bowling green area. It was not anticipated that there would be any difficulty in this respect. "We are well aware," said Mr Quelch, " that we are asking a good deal of the City Council, and we do not expect that it will rush into granting our request at a minute's notice, but the closing of this street is one of those things which, if not done now, will never be done. Of course, we realise that there are all sorts of things to be considered with respect to our proposal. For instance, Cumberland street, carries large water mains and sewers, the ifemoval of which would present a problem, but that is only a routine matter. The main question is how the change will affect property owners on either side of the section which it is proposed to close. As far as the breaking of the street in two goes, that is a relatively unimportant aspect of the matter, as Cumberland street is not a through street."