HOSPITAL BUILDING

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 198, 19 May 1944, Page 3

HOSPITAL BUILDING

Criticism By Citizens’ Candidates

REPLY BY MR. CROSKERY

“It has been contended by more than one of the Citizens’ candidates that the Labour hospital board members were responsible for the waste of large sums of money on architects’ fees. This is quite an incorrect statement of the actual position,” said Mr. A. W. C'roskery in a recent address.

“The proposal to build the Centennial Block at the Wellington Hospital was supported by every member of the then board, and an architect was asked to provide plans, which he did, and naturally was entitled to payment for his services.Before the last hospital board election these plans had reached the stage where it was proper to start work, and the foundations were gone on with without any protest at all from any one of the Citi’/ens' ticket members. The money for building the block had been borrowed at a very reasonable rate of interest, and immediately the present board was elected transferred the bulk of this money to pay for the work that was being done at the Hutt hospital, and then scrapped the whole of the plans which had been drawn up by Messrs. Stevenson and lurner for the Centennial Block (to which a large number of them had previously agreed). It goes without saying that they had to pay Messrs. Stevenson and Turner for the work done.” Mr. W. J. Gaudin’s statement that the present board selected and bought a site at Paekakariki for a tuberculosis and orthopaedic hospital was also incorrect. Actually the property had been purchased Delore the present board was elected.

. Tlie setting up of a rehabilitation section by tile city council to assist in the great task of assisting returned servicemen, was advocated by Mr. R. Stillwell, speaking at Kelburn. Along with his Labour* colleagues, he was looking forward to the opportunity of prosecuting his past efforts in the interests of servicemen in the larger and more effective field of municipal politics. ♦ » «

I have been unable to ascertain the amount of revenue received by tlie city council for the sand removed from the Lyall Bay . beach. What I do know, however, is that the condition of the bathing sheds at the beach is a disgrace to the city," said Mr. J. G. Churchill, speaking at ArO Street.

“A roof, some food, and a bed, is not good enough for those 'old folks whose circumstances force them on the mercies . a J} os Pital board in the evening of their lives,"said Mrs. Janet Savege at Kelburn. “I would like to see the building of a cottage home scheme on the principle of some of the memorial cottages in the Old Country, where elderly married couples could be together during their eventide, where they could be lookcc *. ufter, yet allowed some personal privacy and comfort.”

. services regarding health under the jurisdiction of the city council should be carried out in their entirety, said Mr. J. Arthurs at Houghton Valley. Services such as water and sewerage attached to dwellings should be serviced and maintained right up to the connexion from the dwelling. At present the council was only responsible for the maintenance of these two services as from the boundary on which the, house or dwelling stood.

At Houghton Valley, the Rev. M. Ayrton said the principles for which he was standing for the hospital board were: (1) The right for those who live by labour of hand and brain to have direct representation on all public administrative bodies; (2) homes for the people of Wellington suitable to live in consistent with the standards of modern civilization; (3) a public hospital, adequate and fullyequipped and staffed, to meet all the requirements of patients, young and older, who have reason to seek treatment there; (4) comfortable and cheerful provision for. aged people who, in the evening of their lives, are compelled to seek admission in the institutions under the control of the hospital board; (a) the establishment of suitable convalescent homes within the hospital district to build up the bodily strength of patients leaving the hospital and before they return to their homes to resume the ordinary tasks of life. * s » Though the tramways department showed a continued annual profit, the city council had refused permission for the civilian “limbies” to be given free passes, said Mr. C. J. Hay at Houghton Bay. Many of these men lost limbs outside working hours and had not been able to claim any compensation. Their earning power was consequently reduced and the citizens of this city would not begrudge them this small concession. TONIGHT’S MEETINGS . Labour Ticket candidates will hold meetings tonight at eSatonn Kiosk at 8 p.m., and St. Thomts’ Hall, Newtown, at the same hour.