HOSPITAL BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 3444, 16 March 1920, Page 8

HOSPITAL BOARD

TAPANUI AND KAITANGATA VISITED.

The Otago Hospital Board party got away from Lawrence at half-past 1 on the 9th, and an uneventful run of two hours by Beaumont, Rae's Junction, Edievale, and Crookston brought them to the Tapanui Hospital, where a most hospitable welcome awaited them. They were met there by Messrs W; Quin (chairman of the local Hospital Committee), James Edgar, and George Howat (members of committee), and by Dr Robertson and Sister Wilson, who is temporarily in charge during the absence of the matron (Sister Mackie), on holiday. After refreshments had been enjoyed, Mr Quin, on behalf of the local committee, said that the one main request they had at the present time was that the board_ should proceed as speedily as possible with tho new buildings. They were very sorry they had received no local tenders, and evidently they would have to rely on city builders to carry the work through. The money that had to be raised by the local people was already in the bank awaiting expenditure. Mr W. E. S. Knight (chairman of the Otago Hospital Board) assured Mr Quin that the board was anxious that the building should be gone on with. Unfortunately at their last meeting they received only one tender for the work. Contractors just now seemed to be very wary in tendering for jobs of any magnitude, for the simple reason that their estimates were so liable to be far out. The one tender received had not yet been opened, and the time for receiving tenders had been extended for a fortnight. There was little use delaying the building, because there was little likelihood of prices coming down so far as building materials or wages were concerned, so the board had to face the position. The board was anticipating building an infectious block close to the Wakari site in the near future, and that work would have to be gone on with. If they waited they would have to wait indefinitely. He asked Mr Quin whether if the prices quoted exceeded all that the board thought reasonable, it would be possible to do only part of the work and hold over the remainder. Mr Quin said that unquestionably they wanted all the buildings proposed, but they could not ask the board to do the impossible. The local committee had unanimously decided that if it was impossible to go on with both works at once, they would prefer to see the addition to the main block take precedence of the erection of the isolation ward. The position was that this scheme for additional ward space had been originated in the Crookston district where the residents had subscribed money with a view to erecting a tablet and making the extention a memorial to boys from the district who had fallen in the war. Mr Scurr said that any man tendering would want to do the whole job. In answer to Mr Knight, Mr Quin said that residents were committed to find the sum of £SOO, £3OO for the addition and £2OO for the isolation ward. Mr Wales said the original estimate of the amount needed for the extension was £SOO, but he found that was not going to be anywhere near it. One contractor thouprht it would be double that. He thouerht the isolation block might run into £2OOO, so that the two jobs would involve some £3OOO. Mr Quin said that tho local contractors could get neither the labour nor the materials for such a job. They must just leave the matter in the hands of the board, knowing that members would push it on as rapid!v as was possible. They had alway 3 intended to have a separate maternity block eventually, but there was no good talking of that till they had succeeded with the present venture. Afterwards a thorough inspection was made of the hospital buildings, equipment, and grounds, and the order and planning of the institution and its admirable situation were much admired. During the visit there was every evidence of the most cordial relations between the board and the local committee, and local representatives expressed themselves as well satisfied with the present system of contralised control from Dunedin. Before setting out for Gore on Wednesday morning the party made a brief visit to the extensive and beautifully situated Government nurseries about a mile out of Tapanui. Gore was reached without incident at, 11.30, and most of the members of the party took the opportunity of calling at the Gore Hospital. This institution has at present 28 beds, but though this was quite sufficient at the time the_ hospital was built, ihe needs of the district have far outgrown the available accommodation, and extensions are now being planned to provide 40 new beds. The party had lunch at Clinton and then ran straight through to Kaitangata to visit

the cottage hospital there. Among those present to meet the members of the board were Messrs Gage (chairman of the local vloifpteiti Committee), Penman (a member of committee), and Baylan (secretary), Dr Cairns, the matron (Mrs Clemens), and Sister Taine. There are no patients at present in the hospital, but an inspection was made of the buildings and equipment, and the local representatives drew attention to the site that has been suggested for a new_ four-bed maternity and female ward. Various matters of equipment and management were discussed, and the visitors were most hospitallv entertained at afternoon tea. Members then resumed the journey to town, which was reached at an early hour in the evening, after a very pleasant run in..