£65,000 LOAN PROPOSED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 210, 21 September 1937, Page 8

£65,000 LOAN PROPOSED

Onr Own Correspondent.)

Palmerston North Hospital Building LEVY ON LOCAL BODIES

(From

PALMERSTON N., Last Night. Application is to be made by the Palmerston North Hospital Board to the Local Government Loans Board for sanction to raise a loan of £65,500 for a term of 20 years for building purposes at the hospital. The loan is to provide additional buildings at the nurses ' home and at the hospital, additions to the children ;s ward, and a nqw morgue. Charges on the loan are to be met by a levy on contributory local autborities in the Palmerston North Hospital District, and a Government subsidy. The chairman, Mr. J. A. Nash, said that when the proposals were discussed three months ago the estimated cost was £50,000, and that figure was based on the cost of the administrative block at 28/- a square foot. But it was found to-day that this could not be sustained because of the rapid increase in the price of materials, so that the estimate had had to be advanced to £60,000, or 32/- a square foot. "The plan makes provision for future extensions," said Mr. Nash, but, if the present proposals are carried out as submitted, ■ the building will provide for the present nursing staff of 130 and an additional 50, makiiig 180 in all. As our present hospital can provide up to 240 beds, we must build on the basis' of one nurse to two patients as a minimum."