MILITARY HOSPITALS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 28, 4 February 1943, Page 5

MILITARY HOSPITALS

BUILDINGS AT AUCKLAND (P.A.) Christchurch, Feb. 3. Interesting details of several of the 17 military hospitals built to the order of the Government for our own and United States forces through the Defence Construction Council were given by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, to-day. These hospitals lack nothing in comfort and equipment, he said. For the most part they are of one storey, designed on typical New Zealand lines, spreading over wide areas to ensure the maximum of sunshine and air. “The new military hospital at Cornwell Park, Auckland, itself as large as the Auckland Public Hospital, is a miracle of speedy and efficient construction,” said Mr. Fraser.

It comprises 90 separate buildings and has a total floor space of 250,000 square feet, approximately six acres. Provision has been made for 1050 patients and a staff consisting of 68 officers, 143 nurses and 504 male attendants. Its cost was £566,470. Hobson Park military hospital at Auckland, in use by United States militaryforces, introduced steel pre-fabrica-tion to New Zealand. This was added to substantially by wards designed in New Zealand, and this institution has now a floor area as great as that at the Cornwall Park hospital, and beds for 1160 patients. It comprises 74 separate buildings and is staffed by 60 officers and 663 ratings. The cost of the additions was £350,000.