HOSPITAL ESTIMATES

Evening Star, Issue 20136, 28 March 1929, Page 15

HOSPITAL ESTIMATES

NO INCREASE IN RATES CAPITAL EXPENDITURE DEFINED " It is satisfactory to ourselves and to tho ratepayers to know that tho hospital rates will* not' be increased for the incoming year,” stated Air W. E. S. Knight (chairman of the Otago Hospital Board), in moving the adoption at the board meeting last night of a report presented by a special subcommittee which had deliberated on tho question of capital estimates. It was recommended in tho report that the levies on the local authorities for the year 1929-30 be fixed for maintenance and capital at approximately the same as the current year, and that the interim estimates for maintenance be approved, subject to adjustment. It was recommended also that the following capital expenditure be ap-proved-Reallocations : Unexpended balances from last year, £28,926 4s; adjustments from last year, £555 os Bd. New allocations: Kitchen block equipment, £3OO additional; boiler bouse and boiler erection, £2,000 additional; infectious diseases block, £4,000 additional; central laundry, buildings, plant, and equipment, £4,015 additional; central laundrychimney removing and rebuilding old boiler, installing steam-piping, etc., £1,500 additional; equipment N-rny and ultra violet light apparatus, Dunedin and Wakari Hospitals, —1,400 additional; new ward, eye, ear, nose, and throat, £2,000; R.V. Sanatorium, freezing plant, £250; Wakari Hospital, freezing plant, £250; Dunedin Hospital steriliser, £200; motor truck, £300; extension infirmary ward, £2,401 13s 4d; architect’s lees, £600; contingenies, £304 13s 4cl; total, £50,062 17s 4d. , , The Chairman stated that the total estimated cost of the, boiler and boiler house was £13,000. To date of this had been expended, leaving a balance of £10,358. Of this amount £8,338 was provided for previously, while the remaining £2,000 had been added for the coming year. _ For the infectious diseases block, estimated to cost £22,500, an additional £4,000 had been included for 1929-30, bringing the total allocations to £16,000. fhe central laundry (buildings, plant, and equipment) had now been completely provided for by n further allocation of £5,515 for the coming year. Iho total estimated cost of these works was £13,515. Two thousand pounds had been added to last year's figure foi the new ward (eye, ear, nose, and throat), bringing the total,, and leaving a balance of £< ,UUU stm to bo provided for. -For the extension of the chronic ward at the Benevolent Institution £2,461 13s 4d had been sot aside on account, made up by Grace M'Connoehie’s bequest of £461 Ms 4d, plus £2,000. The allocations lor the central heating (£3,000) and water softening plant (£1,000) remained the same as last vear. The remaining estimates included provision for freezing plants at the Pleasant Valley Sanatorium and Wakari Hospitals (£250 each), steriliser for the Dunedin Hospital (£200), motor truck (£300), X-rav and ultra-violet light apparatus for Wakari and Dunedin Hospitals (A 3 054 6s Id), contingencies and architects’ fees (£1,904 13s 4d). Mr Quelch said that many boards were adopting the same system m building. Dr Newlands said he was glad to know they were able to stick to the old system they had used in tho past. One point he would like to stress was the urgent need lor an eye, ear, nose, ami throat ward. However, they could not get ahead with the ward until they got the boiler house on the way. At present the special cases were being nursed in many different wards. To attain a maximum degree of efficiency thev should have a specially-trained staff, and ho thought they should not lose sight of the really urgent need for the Ward, and so push on the work as soon as finances permitted. The report was adopted.