NEW THEATRE BLOCK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26783, 28 May 1948, Page 4

NEW THEATRE BLOCK

DUNEDIN HOSPITAL BOARD SEEKS FINALITY CHAIRMAN TO SEE MINISTER The Otago Hospital Board last night authorised the chairman, Dr A. S. Moody, to go to Wellington to try to reach some finality on the question of the new theatre and ward block, which it is proposed to be built at the Frederick street end of the hospital in approximately the middle of the street block. It was stated that, although a permit for the work had been granted by the Building Controller, and the scheme had been approved by the Health Department, the Minister of Health, Miss Mabel Howard, had not yet signed the Act necessary to be passed before the work could proceed. The matter arose from consideration in committee of tenders for the alterations to and renovation of the present isolation block at the hospital. 1 After some discussion in. committee, the board resumed open meeting, when it was stated that a tender for the isolation block had been accepted in the sum of £11,163, with the proviso that the Minister had to agree to this step. Members stated that there, was some difference of opinion in the medical / profession about the suitability of the new theatre and ward block, but Dr D. G. McMillan said that Dunedin needed more hospital beds, and the building of the block was at present the only way to obtain them. If the plans for the theatre and ward block were again to be altered, he said, it would mean a long delay in the erection of the building. He suggested that Dr Moody should go to Wellington to reach some finality •on the matter. Dr McMillan added that it was desirable that the chairman should go to Wellington as he had done in the case of the Hill Jack Maternity home project. “If Dr Moody had not done so, that project would still be in abeyance,” he said Dr Moody said that he personally did not approve of the new block, but

thought that if one more ward were available for maternity cases, the board could go ahead with it. “Ifwe do not take what the Health Department offers, we will not get anything,” he added. "We want to know if we are going to get this block, and also how much money we will have to spend on other projects.” He said that if he went to Wellington it would be on the understanding that the board had unanimously decided to approve any arrangement he entered into with the Minister. Dr Moody added that he would have to tell the Minister that the board had entered into financial obligations in respect to the theatre and ward block, and would have to honour them. He said that if there were a major scheme at Coal Creek, the Dunedin Hospital would have to do most of the major surgery work, and could not cope with it with its present, facilities. The meeting then carried the motion that the chairman go to Wellington.