NEW CASHMERE HOSPITAL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28261, 26 April 1957, Page 17

NEW CASHMERE HOSPITAL

Commissioning Considered

A Cashmere Hospital commissioning committee to investigate and bring down recommendations covering all aspects of the commissioning, projected for 1959, was set up by the North Canterbury Hospital Board on Wednesday. The committee was recommended by the hospital committee because of the tremendous amount of planning and organisation necessary before the hospital could be opened. The committee will comprise the chairman of the board (Dr. L. C. L. Averill) and the chairmen of the standing committees (Messrs P. S. Foster, L. Christie, T. M. Ayers, Mesdames T. Green and J. E. Mackay). As the building project had reached a stage where the architect and builder deemed visiting undesirable, the board agreed to co-operate in discouraging visitors. “What’s that? £75 worth of broken windows in the Cashmere Hospital already?” Miss M. B. Howard, M.P., said to Mrs Green. The chairman: Small boy vandals. The windows would have to be replaced by the contractor. Urge for Completion Mr Christie said he would be interested to know if the board had had any communication regarding the completion of the Cashmere Hospital. If there was to be any delay, the board should push the question stronger and further than it had. “There is no official reply from Wellington,” replied Dr. Averill. He had inquired twice but, 10 days before, the matter had not been before the Government’s inter-departmental works committee. He had told the department that the matter was very important and urgent as far as Christchurch was concerned, because not one ward of the old wooden part of the Christchurch Hospital could be closed or pulled down until Cashmere Hospital was completed. The question would be taken up again vigorously.

“I don’t know what can be done at the motment —they have not- turned us down,” said Dr. Averill. “I would suggest that we would get very active if they did turn us dowfi?’