CONVALESCENT HOME.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1959, 16 January 1914, Page 9

CONVALESCENT HOME.

DISCUSSED BY THE HOSPITAL . COMMUTiSE.

■ Convalescent Homo was a subject discussed at yesterday's mooting of the Hospital Committee of tie Wellincton 1 Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Whon the ordinary business of tho committee had beoa disposed of, Mr. J. I W. Mllwan asked some questions ae to t'bo purchasing price and the estimated value (in tho books), of a tenaoro block of land at the Hutt, owned by tho board. Then, having ascertained from iho Modkal Superintendent (Dr. Hardwick Smitn) tbat a oent home would bo a wolcomo addition to the Hospital, Mr. M'Ewan suggested that the board would do well to sell tho Hutt proporty and, with the money obtained, purchase another site for a convalescent home. Hβ was prepared to point out a more suitablo site in the same district. Mr. D. Robertson honed 'the. site would not be in the Hutt Valley as ho considered that to bo the most unI healthy. portion of tlie board's district. . .. i Dr. Hardwick Smith explained that J at tlio present time the Hospital made use of the convalescent home at Oriental Bay, but, as that institution was run by a very strict committee of ladies, all patients could not gain admittance.. Mr. ii'Ewan thought they .should go seriously into the question tof tho convalescent home, which should bo at tho Hutt. Obviously tho land had been acquired there on the understanding that any extension to the Hoßpitai ehould be at tho Hutt. , Dr. Hardwjck Smith said he was glad the question had been raised before the cjimmittee because he had intended to bring tho matter up this year. A .convalescent home for children was-ab-solutely ossential to the Hospital. ■ Mr. Robertson expressed the opinion that it was useless to talk of selling the Hutt property. No one was buyiug there. They all wanted to sell out. The committee had better wait until the land market was back to normal again.. . . The Rev. H. Van Staveren was also of opinion that it was not tlio time to talk of selling the Hutt property. There was at-present no opportunity of getting t'hoir,money. , • ■ Mr. H. Baldwin agreed. He did not think they would bo able, to sell'tho land for £2000 (the vahio at which it figured in the balance-sheet). , It was .too far away..:to .sell'.wflll. .-Tho committee, ho said;'had "paid to<i mifeli'-for the land in tho first place, and no doubt the gejitlemamrivh«K.held flitf'-ojli^r^l tion. :of-' tby -prribt fca J J^f , "'foi his ten acres for nothing 1 . He thought however tho land would , be quite suitable, for a convalescent home. ' •■_ " The Rev. Van Staveren remarked tliat tho loss they talked nboiit the original bargain the better. .The members who had miido tlio deal were either nil dead orgono from tliofcoard. ■■■.-■■■ ■

Mr. G; J. Pethcrick said that, at least, lio harm could lio done by settmg up a committee) to consider the question of erecting a.convalescent home. Eventually the discussion dropped without any action having bee'ii taken.