NEARLY FINISHED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1328, 4 January 1912, Page 3

NEARLY FINISHED.

NEW CHILDKEN'S HOSPITAL. It was in August of 1910 that the famous campaign for funds in aid of a Children's Hospital for Wellington was waged bv Mr. Hugh Ward (then touring Now Ze'abnd with "The Girl from Hector's" Comedy Company), acting in cooperation with- tho -Mayoress (Mrs. T. M. Wilford). That the campaigners reaped a rich harvest, that the Government subsidy came duly to baud, that the promoters raised all the money they required for this philanthropic work, is ancient history- Now, in the opening days of the Year of Grace 1912, the vision which inspired Mr. Hugh Ward and bis co-workers in 1910 has materialised, and the .finishing touches aro .being added to a structure of tasteful design which will provide a much-needed sanctuary for afflicted children.

Under the. personal guidance of fhc medical superintendent of the Hospital (Br. Hardwick. Siuifh), a representative of Tnv. Dominion was'given an insight into the principles which govern the designing of a modern institution for tho treatment of tho sick and afflicted. Without going into technical details—the plans and general building scheme have previously been reviewed in Tun Dominion —it may be noted that certain guiding obviously stressed by the Medical Superintendent, have dictated tho salient features of the new hospital. The new buil.-iing has, a northern aspect, facing the Nurses' Home, and amply shielded by :that building and an adjacent spur, from the nor'-westn.'s. This aspect places the children's playing area, which is embraced by the wings of tho building and the wards, in a most favourable position for sunlight, while tho playground is absolutely protected from the prevailing winds. A broad protected verandah also faces this aspect and will be of great benefit to tho patients. Principles of economy appears to have dominated the.whole scheme. Not tho colloquial economy which implies the obtaining of as much as possible for as little as possible, but the economv which reduces expense in items of administration; which recognises that utility of space and artistic taste in design can he co-ordinated in a practical wav; which can determine tho interior subdivision of the space to be. utilised c 0 that one'superior, without extra, strain, m'av do efficiently what two superiors arc*required to do in institutions of less practical design. .

For example, children of ten- tender years are best kept separate from older children, even although the aggregate number on the. sick list be comparatively lew. Hence, a subdivided ward In order that both' divisions mar be sunervised by one attendant, glass window are htted into the partition wall—economy of administration again, who dors not know the family wardrobe, the high-built mirroml chest, whjeh affords, sanctuarv wjthin for family robes do luxe, and whose flat-top is such a convenient resting place for oddments in the shape of hat-laxes, etc? Who also does not remember the day of the spring-cloanin" when the diligent duster stirred the strata.of accumulated dust on that same convenient top? One does not see the=c wardrobe, chests in the Children's Ho*, pital. Chests there are, but their roofs slops downwards, and outwards, and tho daily duster cannot pass them by. The bathrooms are without corners. The modern hospital aichitect.abhors a corner as Nature abhors a vacuum. Hence the tiled walls and floors of tho bathrooms, rounded off at the corners and at the junction of the walls with tho floors. Dirt can find no abiding place there. Another important- feature of tho building. scheme is tho provision for (he in. slant and absolute.isolation of the upper ward in ease of an outbreak of n dniipernus infectious disease like'diphtheria. In thai event, access from Ihn main Mnir' way of the hospital is i-iit off. and an inin flair-nay utilised at lb? rear, ginng an independent entrance to ttie irar'd,,