NURSES’ HOME

Wairarapa Daily Times, 24 June 1936, Page 5

NURSES’ HOME

‘REFRIGERATOR-LIKE QUARTERS’ HOSPITAL BOARD DISCUSSION. The medical superintendent, Dr. Archer Hosking, the Wairarapa Hospital Board at to-day’s meeting on the heating of the corridor at the Masterton hospital. It was money well spent and had made an appreciable difference. He would like to see the heating extended to the corridor of the nurses’ quarters if the cost was not too great. It was not fair that the nurses should be in the 11 refrigerator-like quarters” they were at present. He thought the nurses deserved more comfort than they were at present getting many of the minor ailments they were suffering from, such as tonsilitis, etc.,, were directly traceable to the cold corridor, whereas if it was heated it would warm their quarters.

The chairman, Mr W. Fisher, said he did not think the board should go any further than they had gone at present until the new nurses ’ home was erected. He hoped that before next year the new building would be up. He was tired of the delay. In reply to a question, the chairman said the delay in getting the building started was that all the boards’ new building loans, were embodied in one and the specifications for the whole lot had to go to the Public Works Department. Had they raised separate loans the nurses’ home would probably have been started by, now. However, the secretary had written to the Department to see if they could have the specifications of the nurses’ home so that it could be gone on with. Mr N. T. W. Beetham agreed with the medical superintendent that the nurses’ quarters were like a refrigerator. He had been up there and thought something should be done. On the motion of Mrs S. Fletcher, seconded by Mr W. B. Martin, it was decided that the finance committee go into the costs of putting radiators in the corridor in question and report to the next meeting of the board. “The position is becoming farcical as far as the new works are concerned,” said Mr J. F. Thompson, and he moved that tliechairman and finance committee wait on the Department in Wellington to see if authority could be got to start work on the new home. “The winter is here and it is serious as, far as the nurse® are concerned. They are also falling over one another in their present quarters,” concluded Mr Thompson. The motion was seconded by Mr W. Thomas and carried.