HOSPITAL SITE

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21043, 20 February 1940, Page 4

HOSPITAL SITE

ROTORUA LEASE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT REPORTED MEETING WITH MINISTER | After delays extending over a i period of six years, which have at | times evoked trenchant criticism j from members of the Waikato Hos- | pital Board, the lease of the Pukcroa I Hill site for the erection of a new ! hospital at Rotorua is likely to be completed almost immediately. Negoi tiations have been held at Rotorua 1 between the Minister of Health, the : Hon. P. Fraser, and interested : parties. No statement was made following the discussions at Rotorua, but it is j understood that the Minister has : issued instructions for the prepara- | tion of the necessary documents for j the signing of the lease. When that | is done the erection of a new hos- ! pital for Rotorua, under the adminis- ! tration of the Waikato Hospital | Board, which has been envisioned for years, will soon become a reality. Accommodation Problem When the need for a new hospital at Rotorua became apparent over , six years ago the number of patients J in the old building averaged about 1 50. In the meantime the average j number of patients has doubled and on occasions has reached as many as i 109 at a time. The problem of acj commodation as a result became | almost impossible for the medical superintendent to solve. Various factors contributed to delay the lease negotiations and they have from time to time been severely : criticised by the Waikato Hospital Board. The position now appears to have been clarified to a satisfactory outcome. The Waikato Hospital Board, in view of the ever-increasing nature of hospital work in Rotorua, has called applications for the position of assistant medical officer in charge of the Rotorua institution.