HOSPITAL BOARD LOAN

Southland Times, Issue 24445, 27 May 1941, Page 2

HOSPITAL BOARD LOAN

SOUTH INVERCARGILL’S APPROVAL Advice that the Southland Hospital Board had decided to apply to the Local Governments Loans Board for sanction to borrow the sum of £28,000 was received at a meeting of the South Invercargill Borough Council last night. According to the letter the purposes of the loan would include additions and renovation to the Dee Street Hospital, additions to the nurses’ home, Gore Hospital, and renovations, additions and alterations to the Gore Hospital. It was stated that the present institutions in the hospital district were overcrowded and the board was faced with the question of re-equipping the Dee Street Hospital or of major extensions to the main hospital at Kew. It was felt that with an expenditure of £lB,OOO the Dee Street Hospital, which was at present vacant, could, as an emergency measure at least for the duration of the war, be re-equipped and occupied. It was stated that in coming to the decision to proceed with the Dee Street Hospital the board was influenced to the extent that the present nurses’ home at Dee Street Hospital had a value today of £BO,OOO and no extension to that building would ba necessary to provide about 80 to 100 beds at the Dee Street Hospital. The proposed loan would mean a loan liability per head of population in the Southland district of under 10/-. It was proposed that the loan be based on a 15-year term with payment of principal and interest half-yearly, interest to be on the reducing balance.

Speaking in favour of the loan, the Mayor, Mr Owen Smith, said that the work proposed was really necessary. The hospitals were already overcrowded and if many of the soldiers who returned from the war needed to enter hospital the institutions at Lorne, Dee street and Kew would not be sufficient. The loan was approved. It was decided to erect a street name sign indicating Scott street at the corner of that street and Elies road.

The following committees were appointed:— Finance. —The Mayor (chairman) and Crs D. Harris, T. W. Richards, O. H. Paton.

Works.—The Mayor (chairman) and Crs W. Young, E. Hughes, G. Smith. A welcome was extended by the Mayor- to Cr E. Hughes, the newlyelected member of the council, who was attending his first meeting. Those present at the meeting were the Mayor and. Crs D. Harris, O. H. Paton, T. W. Richards, W. Young, G. Smith, E. Hughes.