A NEW SITE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3142, 21 July 1917, Page 3

A NEW SITE

1 FOR THE DIPHTHERIA HOSPITAL At Thursday's meeting of the Hospital Board it was reported that the number of diphtheria eases treated during the monlh ended July 10 was 7S, as compared with 12 for Hie corresponding period lust year, and there wero 12 cases of scarlet fever, as against j7 ciuses for the corresponding njaviod last year. llr. J. W. _JL'JJwiin (l'etouc) asked if the diphtheria cases referred to were uew caaes. The chairman said that the eases mentioned were new cases. Mr. Al'Kwan said it seemed lo him that the. number was high, and those for Wellington (57) appeared to be out of proportion to other places, Petoiic, for instance. Mr. C. JI. Luke: But Petone is a very healthy place. (Laughter.) •'Mr. M'Ewiiu said if the figures were correct it meant that there was a casa ot diphtheria for every thousand of population. Was there any special reason for that state oh affairs? 'j'he chairman said that he was sorry to say that no reason could be given lor it. Dr. Barclay was understood to say that the number of cases treated at the Goner.ll Hospitals was less in Wellington 'than in Christoliurch and Auckland. The chairman said that the num-. ber of cases was 13 less than last month. On the question of a site tor a- neiv ward the Finauco Committee reported:— "That after inspection of the survey showing contour lines of the proposed site for the diphtheria ward 011 the land proposed to be obtained from the Government, and on the advice of the medical superintendent, supported by Dr. J.'Yengiey and the Public Health' Department that • the site is not a suitable one, it is proposed that the fever ward be altered to make it suitable for a diphtheria ward, and that a new scarlet fever ward be erected on the top of the hill on the lward's property fronting the Town Belt, and that the consent of theboard be granted to the formation of a. road (about two chains) to give access to the board's property from the existing road, in terms of the letter from the Mayor. . "That the, Minister of Mental Hospitals be advised that, owing to the heavy expense that will be incurred in excavations (revealed by the survey showing contour lines) in erecting buildings on the 10 acres proposed to be exchanged with his Department, the proposal be not further carried on." In explanation of the above change the chairman said that to erect a new ward on the land that was proposed to be acquired from the Mental Hospitals Department (in- a block adjoining the Infectious Diseases Hospital Reservo) would mean cuttings 3Gft. in depth, and on. going into Hie levels on the plan it was found that the land was too precipitous altogether for tho purposes required, and it was recommended that the site be abandoned in favour of a piece of their own land above the Infectious Diseases Hospital (about 5 acres), which was near tho crest of ths hill and nearly .011 a level with the road leading from 'Constable Street along the, ridge to Mount Victoria. The City Council had approved of the proposal for the conrii'iiarmu of a road through the Town Belt from tho Mount Victoria track to tho board's property. The InspectorGoneral and Dr. Prengley both strongly recommended the new site, which would cost a great deal less than the other.It was also proposed that tho new ward should be for the reception of. patients suffering from infectious diea«es, and tho present Infectious Diseases Hospital for diphtheria patients, beoauso the. latter would be nearer the administrative block. Mr. C. M. Luke said *]iat he found it difficult to imagine how the Government land could be valued at so high a price as .£675 per acre when it was so \-n----suited for building. In respect to the conditions under which the board ivas to be allowed access through tlie Town Belt, Urn Town Glcik (Mr. J. It. Palmer) wrote:—"Sir,—ln reply to your letter of July 14, addressed to Hjs Worship the Mayor, requesting permission for the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to construct a. road connection about six chains in extent, as ehown on the rough sketch plan submitted with vour letter, from Ihe read on the Town Belt from Constable Street to Mount Victoria signal station to the proposed site for the new diphtheria ward on tho board"s property, I have to inform you that the council will be prepared to grant consent, subject to the following conditions: —(1) The council are not to be liable for construction or maintenance of the proposed access; (2V the council are. not to be liable for any damages caused by the construction of this access; (3) the council are not to be required to spend nny moneys on the repair of the existing road from Constable Street to Mount Victoria signal station)." Tho board accepted the first two conditions, but in .respect to the third appointed a small committee to wait upon the council, as the board hardly thought it was incumbent npon it to keep even a pn.rt of the Mount Victoria track in repair. The recommendations of the Finance Committee were adopted without dissension. * ■ : !