NEW HOSPITAL

Southland Times, Issue 20538, 14 July 1928, Page 5

NEW HOSPITAL

Kew Site Favoured

Board’s Unanimous Decision

Dr Valintine Leaves No Option

Ten years ago the Southland Hospital Board passed a resolution to proceed with the erection of a new hospital at Kew, but for various reasons the work was not proceeded with. Yesterday, however, at a special meeting of the board at which the Director-General of Health (Dr. T. H. A, Valintine), was. present it was definitely decided to erect a new hospital at Kew to provide for 137 beds. The decision was arrived at unanimously after Dr. Valintine had declared that he would oppose “tooth and nail” any extensions to the Dee street institution.

THE POSITION REVIEWED. It was in November 1917 that the urgent need for increased accommodation and more adequate arrangements at the Southland Hospital was emphasized by the DirectorGeneral of Health, who expressed the opinion that it would be wise for the board to consider the advisability of scrapping the old hospital and making a fresh start at Kew which he considered an ideal site. Before agreeing to Dr. Valintine’s suggestion the board decided to see what could be done in the direction of improving the working conditions at the Southland Hospital by erecting a new kitchen and laundry plant. The architect was instructed to prepare plans and estimates, but the cost of these additions was considered too high. The board therefore decided to look further into Dr. Valintine’s suggestion. In May 1918 a resolution to build at Kew was carried and in June an additional 45 acres was purchased at Kew giving the board a site of 884 acres with frontages to Kew, Bluff and Elies Roads. Then followed many negotiations regarding finance and a difference of opinion as to whether a complete new hospital should be erected at Kew or merely the nucleus of a new hospital with Dee Street still retained. In October 1920 the architect submitted a scheme costing £80,570. Owing to the high cost of building materials this proposal was held up until February 1923 when Dr. Frengley recommended a complete new hospital at Kew. After due consideration the board decided to adopt this course and instructed the architect to prepare plans for a complete hospital of 120 beds. The estimated cost was £142,000. Acting on expert advice the board asked the architect for an amended plan which provided for 156 beds at a cost of £169,407. This was in May 1924. Tenders were invited in due course and were considered by the board in May, 1926. The lowest tender was some 9 per cent, over the estimate and the board referred the whole matter to the Department for its decision. In June 1926 Dr. Valintine came down and as the result of his visit he asked the board to stay its hand until the Department’s architect had reported on the possibility of doing something to the Dee Street site. Mr. Allen, the architect, estimated this to cost £73,000 and strongly recommended the Department to urge the board to go to Kew for a new hospital. The board was for some time concerned with the question of whether their architect’s plans or the Department’s should be followed, and owing to lack of unanimity it was decided to hold the matter over. The Director-General of Health visited Invercargill in March last and when pressed by the board to give a definite lead on whether further additions should be made at Dee Street or whether a new hospital should be built at Kew he spoke strongly in favour of Kew. On his return he submitted a scheme for a new hospital of 138 beds at a cost of £127,000. In response to earnest representations from the board he agreed to come down yesterday to meet members and discuss the board’s policy. YESTERDAY’S MEETING. There were present at yesterday’s meeting of the board: Mr. John Matheson (chairl, Miss Birss and Messrs W. Clark, J. W. Miller, E. Bowmar, T. Rhodes, C. Robertson, H. E. Niven, G. Wraytt, J. S. A. McDougall, W. Norman and T. Golden. “There is no need for me to go into details,” said the chairman in welcoming Dr. Valintine. “You all know that the removal to Kew was proposed in 1918. Since that time the personnel of the board has greatly changed so that to-day there are only three members who were on the board in 1918. There has been so much discussion in regard to going to Kew or remaining at Dee Street that members of the board I know are anxious to hear Dr. Valintine’s reasons for insisting on Kew. Any opposition among members to going to Kew is not concerned with the site, but these members wish to satisify themselves and be able to satisify their ratepayers that such a step is warranted. DIRECTOR-GENERAL SPEAKS. “I am very glad to come down to discuss the proposals of developing your hospital,” said Dr. Valintine. “You may have noticed that I have been subjected to considerable criticism by hospital boards and others elsewhere in New Zealand because I have limited expenditure on their hospitals. In several places I have been very much against boards spending big sums on their institutions. I have come down here to discuss with you the question of site. I may say most emphatically that I am of the opinion that you should concentrate your institutions at Kew. In the past I have considered very seriously the possibility of enlarging the present hospital on the Dee Street site, but I have come to the conclusion that it would be absolutely unwise to undertake the large expenditure necessary to put the Dee Street site in proper order. The Dee Street site, I may say, is very dificult to develop for hospital purposes. You have some two acres satisfactory for a hospital, but the remainder of the land and the precincts are not suitable for hospital development. Therefore I have no hesitation whatever in advising the board to develop its institutions at Kew and concentrate there ultimately. Although as I have previously told the board that as far as the hospital is concerned the actual maintenance costs of the new institution will show an increase by concentration at Kew, this will be largely compensated for. I need not refer at length to your three institutions at Dee Street, Kew and Lome. They all need separate kitchens and laundries. If you concentrate at Kew one kitchen will do instead of the four you now have. This will affect considerable saving. “Then again the hospital districts especially as far as Invercargill is concerned have altered considerably by the development of the institution at Gore. In Dr. Rogers you have a most excellent medical superintendent and may I take this opportunity of saying how sorry I was to hear of his serious illness and how glad I am that he is recovering. The Gore Hospital has so developed that the institution originally suggested for Invercargill is not so necessary. You have already seen the plans prepared by the Department four years ago. I am of the opinion that these can now be curtailed so that the expenditure will not exceed £lOO,OOO. I have been informed by your secretary that the board has £87,000 in hand. I urge you to con-

centrate at Kew and develop your institutions there. I do not think that I need say any more now, but I shall be pleased to answer any questions members may wish to put. PERTINENT QUESTIONS. Mr. Niven: Are you seriously suggesting that you could build all the institutions at Kew for £100,000? Dr. Valintine: No, only the hospital. Mr. Niven: How many will the hospital accommodate? Dr. Valintine: Over 100. I propose to cut down some of the expenditure by doing without some of the wards in the earlier plans. Mr. Robertson: But if you are going to close Lome Infirmary would there be sufficient room ? Dr. Valintine: Yes, for your acute cases. You would not immediately transfer Lome Infirmary though that would come ultimately. Mr. Bowmar: It seems a pity to spend money necessary for the complete new buildings if we could put another storey on Dee Street and renovate the bad parts so that we could carry on there for another 25 years. Dr. Valintine: No. That would not be wise. According to our late architect, Mr. Allen, that would cost £75,000. Mr. Robertson: But that’s almost as much as the new building at Kew. Dr. Valintine: Exactly. And it would increase your accommodation by only 50 beds. Mr. Bowmar: We have an excellent nurses’ home. Dr. Valintine: Yes. But the wards are out-of-date and the kitchen arrangements are abominable. I could not approve of the extension of the Dee Street site. It would prove very costly in the long run. At Kew you have an excellent site. I don’t think the public f Invercargill realize what an excellent site they have at Kew. It says a lot for the foresight of earlier members that they acquired so much land there. Mr. Golden: Would it not cost another £lOO,OOO to concentrate at Kew? Dr. Valintine: I don’t think so. Of course, you would not abandon Lome Infirmary at once. That is the ultimate step. The new hospital w’ould cost £lOO,OOO, but it should not cost anything like that to concentrate at Kew. Mr Golden: But when we do concentrate we will have to spend a lot of money. Dr. Valintine: Yes, but look what you will save in maintenance. You have now four kitchens. Then you would need only one. One of the drawbacks at Kew to-day is that there is no resident medical officer at Kew for consumptives. That would be overcome. Mr Robertson: How many can you accommodate in the £lOO,OOO institution? Dr. Valintine: One hundred and fifteen. Under stress 150 with the verandahs. Miss Birss: How many wards would you have? Dr. Valintine: I have not gone into that yet. The original plans were to cost £lBO,OOO. Then this was reduced to £127,000. I now think that a satisfactory building can be erected for £lOO,OOO. Mr Bowmar: Once I were persuaded that it was necessary to start at Kew I would not think it desirable to skimp the cost. Dr. Valintine: No! We’ll provide a satisfactory institution for £lOO,OOO, including a nurses’ home and the whole bag of tricks, if I may so speak. Mr Rhodes: If a new kitchen block were put in at Dee street and other alterations made would it not do? Dr. Valintine: No. Our late architect said that it would cost £75,000 to increase the accommodation by 50 beds. Mr Rhodes: You can do that by reconstructing the verandahs. Dr. Valintine: I am very sorry to say that I cannot agree with you. Mr Rhodes: That’s all right. We can disagree and still be friends. Dr. Valintine: I think you will be able to get £20,000 for the Dee street site. Mr Matheson: Hadrly as much as that. Mr Golden: You’ll admit that the Dee street buildings are really dead stock for other purposes. Dr. Valintine: I’ll admit that. Mr Norman: The nurses’ home is not dead stock. Dr. Valintine: No. The nurses’ home and the operating theatre are very up-to-date. Mr Bowmar: Leaving Dee street will be a great sacrifice. Dr. Valintine: But a very necessary one. You have considered it for ten years now. I may say that two years ago I was glad you turned the proposal down for times were very bad then. Now times are better. Though I have had to curtail expenditure in other parts of the Dominion I do most emphatically implore the board to go on with the Kew site. Mr Bowmar: I remember that when you were here last, sir, you stressed the fact that modern institutions cost more. Dr. Valintine: Absolutely, sir. But you will save that by the maintenance cost when you concentrate. The new hospital will cost more per bed than the present one, but by concentrating all your efforts at Kew you will save this increase. Mr Bowmar: You will not derive any benefit from concentrating until you actually do that, which will be some time ahead. Dr. Valintine: No, but you will be going on right lines and laying proper foundations. You now have three institutions not altogether satisfactory. By building a new hospital at Kew you will be laying the bed-plate for your concentrated efforts. “TOOTH AND NAIL!” Mr Robertson: Supposing we decide that we want to do more at Dee street, would you oppose it? Dr. Valintine: Tooth and nail! Mr. Robertson: Well, that’s something definite. Mr. Matheson: Well, that gives us no option! Mr Niven: In view of your statement do you think it wise to cut the expenditure down below £127,000? Dr. Valintine: I think it is. I think we ran provide a hospital for you with all essential services for £lOO,OOO. I may be a little moderate in my estimate, but you can do without one or two wards of the earlier plans. Mr. Niven: When you speak of curtailing expenditure is it in the interests of the board or the Government? Dr. Valintine: Of the people. I do not consider the Government in such matters. (

In some districts I incurred the animosity of boards by curtailing expenditure, but here I ask the board to embark on expenditure in the interests of the people of Southland. Mr. Niven: The Southland Board has never skimped as regards its institutions. We want to do the thing well, and we don’t want to be faced with the need for increased accommoclation before the new building is finished. Dr. Valintine: In 1926 times were bad and the price of building very high. Since then prices have come down. We have been getting our buildings done at a more reasonable rate lately. Mr. Matheson: Can you give us an idea of the percentage of decreased cost? Dr. Valintine: No. It depends so much on the locality. Mr. Golden: Perhaps Mr Matheson who has had a good deal of experience in building costs could tell us. Mr. Matheson: No. I know costs have come down, but I couldn’t give the percentage. Mr. Pryde: In basing the number of beds in the proposed hospital at Kew have you taken into account the bed accommodation in Southland per head? Are we over or under the average? Dr. Valintine: A bit under. I am counting on 60 beds at Gore at the finish and 60 here. Mr. Pryde: We have had 90 here. Mr Matheson: If we built a hospital for 200 beds do you think it would be empty? Dr. Valintine: I’m perfectly sure it wouldn’t. If we had one bed per 10 of population they would all be full. Boards have been far too lenient in admitting patients. A hospital district nursing scheme would allow many patients to be treated at home. Boards have bee'n too generous in the past. Mr. Robertson: Do you think 150 beds suficient for the present time? Dr. Valintine: Yes, for the next 10 years. Mr Wryatt: We ought to make provision for the next 25 years at least. Mr Robertson: It soon goes. PROUD OF NEW ZEALAND. Mr Matheson here mentioned that Mr Robertson had been a member of the board for 30 years. After turning to congratulate Mr Robertson, Dr. Valintine mentioned that he himself had been Inspector-General of Hospitals for 20 years. “I may say that I am very proud of our institutions,” said Dr. Valintine. “Have you seen ours lately?” asked Mr Matheson. “I’m not proud of yours,” replied Dr. Valintine, “but seriously speaking I wish to say how pleased I am the way hospital boards have allowed hospitals in New Zealand to be developed. When I was in Europe I w r ent over many hospitals there and I came back profoundly satisfied with the institutions here. The trouble is we keep our patients too long.” “We make a job of them, sir,” said Mr Matheson. “If the district nursing service were in vogue the days’ stay would be cut down,” said Mr Pryde. “Yes. A good district nursing scheme has not been sufficiently developed,” replied Dr. Valintine. ARCHITECTS’ FEES. Mr. Matheson: Any more questions? Mr Robertson: In regard to architects’ fees I think you told us that your Department would not charge any such fees. What did it cost at Gore? Mr Matheson : Four per cent., I think. Dr. Valintine: That’s the Public Works Department. Mr Robertson: It’s pretty expensive. Mr Matheson: Then there has to be a clerk of works who is paid on the actual cost. I think members thought that it would not cost the board anything for architects’ fees. The board assumed the Health Department would pay the Public Works Department. Dr. Valintine: No. We don’t do that. It’s another department’s concern. They have the responsibility of seeing after the works. We charge nothing for preparing plans. Mr Robertson. The Education Department pays the Railway Department for conveying children to school. Why should not the Health Department pay the Public Works Department? HOW MANY BEDS? Mr Niven: The £127,000 estimate provided for 137 beds. Don’t you think it advisable to stick to that? Dr. Valintine: I don’t want to press the point on the board. I think 115 beds enough, but if the board in its wisdom decides to go for 137 beds I won’t oppose it. Mr Robertson: I think we ought to have a minimum of 150 beds. Dr. Valintine: With verandah accommo elation I am giving you that. If you planned for 137 beds that would give you at a pinch 180. Mr Pryde: When you speak of 115 beds you mean for acute cases. Dr. Valintine: Yes. Mr Matheson: So you’ll agree to our going in for a little more than 115 beds? Mr Norman: Yes, make it 137. Dr. Valintine: Yes, if you wish. Mr Matheson: I am sure we are very much obliged to you, sir, for coming down. You have left us no option in regard to ths hospital, have you? Dr. Valintine: No. Mr Matheson: Supposing we should not agree to go to Kew? Dr. Valintine: I never look for unpleasantness. DECISION REACHED. Dr. Valintine: Is it too much to ask you to come to a decision to-day. I should like to go away feeling quite happy in regard to Southland. Mr Matheson: There is a motion about holding up the matter for twelve months that would have to be rescinded. That cannot be done without unanimity and Miss Dryburgh is not here. Mr Pryde (after referring to past min utes) : There is no resolution to that effect. It was only a suggestion that was adopted. Mr Matheson: Well, we’ll go on with it. Mr Golden: We are between the hammer and the anvil. Dr. Valintine won’t agree to more expense at Dee street so we must go to Kew. Mr Robertson: I move that we agree to go on with the hospital at Kew to provide for 137 beds. Mr McDougall: I second that. The motion was carried unanimously. WHO SHOULD PREPARE PLANS? Mr Robertson: I suppose it will not take long to prepare the plans. Mr Matheson: You’ll have to decide who will do the plans. Mr McDougall: I move that the matter of preparing the plans be held over. When this was seconded Mr Robertson moved an amendment that the Public Works Department be instructed to prepare the plans. Before the motions were put Dr. Valintine rose to congratulate the board on its decision which he was sure was the right thing for Southland. The Department would give the board every assistance in regard to plans. The Director-General, after being again thanked for his attendance by Mr Matheson, then retired. After a brief discussion regarding who should prepare the plans the chairman said that in view of the fact that Miss Dryburgh was absent and had not received notice of the meeting he did not think the motion of plans should be decided on at the present meeting. He ruled accordingly. “The ruling is an act of courtesy to Miss Dryburgh,” remarked Mr Goiden, in moving that the chairman’s ruling be accepted.