Hospital Board Seeks Permit To Plan Better Staff Accommodation

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 96, 7 November 1947, Page 4

Hospital Board Seeks Permit To Plan Better Staff Accommodation

Chairman Says Scheme Not Likely To Increase Rates In receipt of a report from the matron, Miss K. Miller, which indicated a desperate shortage of staff accommodation at the Whakatane Hospital, the Bay of Plenty Hospital Board at its monthly meeting yesterday decided to seek permission to get rough sketch plans of whatever should be necessary to provide adequate accommodation.

The chairman, Mr J. Mullins, said that matters involving major expenditure were in a different category now than they had been in a few months ago and, in his opinion, would not affect the ratepayers any more than ordinary maintenance work. He felt sure the new valuations would not exceed a 100 per cent, increase and, if they did not, that would be the position.

Mr McCready did not agree. He said any major building plan would affect the rate and he would oppose any such proposal on that ground, because he felt the land-owning sections of the community would be unfairly loaded with the cost. The public as a whole should pay for public utilities, not only those who were lucky (or unlucky) enough to own a bit of property. Messrs. C. A. Suckling and A. F. McGougan pointed out that the accommodation question was urgent and, in regard to nurses accommodation, the position was acute. Others agreed with Mr Suckling that, in any event, seeking permission to get plans was not going to commit anyone to any serious expenditure. It was merely a necessary preliminary step before future policy could be framed.

Mr McGougan said the public should know the attitude of Board members. He personally was disgusted with the inadequate s'taif accommodation. He agreed with Mr McCready that the farmers had been bled pretty hard, but he still felt it was the Board’s duty to provide what was needed at the hospital. Nurses were even living in the children’s ward, and he did not think any ratepayer would want to see that continue.

On the chairman’s motion the Board decided seek permission to have sketch plans prepared.