The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1882.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3517, 16 October 1882, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1882.

At the meeting of the Hospital Committee on Friday the plans for the muchneeded additional accommodation at the institution were laid upon the table and approved. The contract is to be at once given out, and it is expected that the new building will be completed and ready for use before the winter eets in. The additions include a spacious ward and matron's rooms, which will admit of the apartments at present 80 used to be devoted to their legitimate purposes of ward-kitchen and nurse's room. A large male ward is also provided for, running parallel to and similar iv size to the present ward, with offices complete. The present kitchen and scullery are to be enlarged, and a suitable etove provided.

The new wing;, which completes the original plan, will provide accmmodation for twenty beds without cro we:;:?::, ;n.•;! :"g fifty in all. The appearance of tb: f exterior of the building will also be improved, and the hospital as a whole, when the additions are completed, will be one of which the residents of Hawke's Bay may be justly proud. In the meanwhile, outside the Hospital authorities themselves, a movement has been made in favor of a children's hospital, and, judging from the reception it has received, bids fair, with their support, to be carried to a successful issue. There is plenty of room in the grounds for such a building, and we trust the action which hae been already commenced will be maintained until success is assured. The Committee are in correspondence with the Government with regard to procuring from the War Department at home one or two hospital marquees for use in case of fever or contagious diseases, and having respect to the smalloess of the cost of providing such conveniences we trust no unnecessary delay will take place in obtaining them—their utility, in case of need, being only too obvious. The question of finance is onethatis engaging the serious attention of the Committee, and the vacillating spirit in which the Government have treated the question of hospitals has rendered their position in the matter a most difficult one. From the Colonial Treasurer's statement the Hospital Committee understood that an amount would be placed on the estimates to defray the current expenses of the boepitals of the colony during the present financial year, and that next session a measure dealing with the whole question would be brought up. The vote has been passed, and the Napier Hospital asks that it should be placed on the same footing as those of other large towns in having its maintenance expenses defrayed from the sum voted for that purpose, and its saving?, some £1500, should not be impounded and handed back for maintenance, but be left at tbe service of the Committee for helping to defray tbe cost of further accommodation that is imperatively needed. His Worship the Mayor, as chairman of the Committee, and the secretary, went thoroughly into the whole question with the Colonial Secretary when here, and we trust our members, Messrs Sutton, Buchanan, and Smith, will leave no stone unturned to see that justice is done to the province on this question.