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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 18, 20 October 1944, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD'S QUANDARY

POLICY QUESTION IN JEOPARDY

When the Minister of Works wrote asking the Health Departm)en|t to furnish a list of passible Hospital Works to be undertaken within the next five yearshf little guessed the delicate position in which the Whaikaitane Hospital Board, already pledged to no further capital expenditure would! find itself.

I The chairman, Mr L. Buddie, said that from his point of view, which-* ever way the building programme was financed in Whakatane it was definitely needed. All the Board could do was to put on paper what works it considered to be most necessary and submit it without pledging itself to any expenditure. The local Government Commission which was about to tour the Dominion might be instrumental in altering the whole outlook but at the same time it would be wise to submit a programme of building i even if it was conditional in order

to avoid being overlooked. The point could be emphasised that the Board was in no way prepared to foot the bill.,

Mr Mullins agreed that no possible harm could be done if the chairman's suggestion were carried out.

To that end, the following list was drawn up as proposed works within the. next five years which would dovetail one with the other :

New chest block. Increased domestic quarters. Boiler accommodation. Porters' quarters. Nurses' home extension.