BRICK VERSUS WOOD.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4878, 16 September 1925, Page 2

BRICK VERSUS WOOD.

PAEROA MATERNITY HOSPITAL. RESOLUTION BY THAMES BOARD. The question as to whether the Paeroa Maternity and Casualty Hospital should be erected in wood or brick and concrete involved the Thames Hospital and Chartiable Aid Board in a long discussion at its meeting at Thames on Monday afternoon. The Paeroa Borough Council forwarded the following resolution :— “That this council notes with appreciation the proposal to> recommend to the Hon. Minister the acceptance of a tender for the Paeroa maternity hospital. and respectfully suggests that in view of the favourable tender in brick that it would be more advantageous to the ratepayers of the board’s district to erect the buildings in brick, and the council would-ask the serious consideration of this suggestion.” •

The acting-Director of Health, Wellington, wrote acknowledging receipt of the tenders for the hospital and stating that in view of the favourable prices given for erecting the hospital in brick the technical officers, of the department were strongly of the opinion that the board should build in that material. When the comparative maintenance, depreciation, and insurance costs of brick and wood were considered there was no question but that it would be an eebnomy to build in brick. The department would be glad if the board could see its way to accept the lowest tendered price, £7350 intsead pf wood. It was hoped to. forward the Minister’s consent for the work within the next few days. The following letter was received from the clerk of the Thames County Council: —

“My council has previously protested against the proposal to erect a hospital building at Paeroa and against the constant increase in the levy for hospital purposes, both maintenance and construction. It has been pointed out that the taxation demanded from the ratepayers of the county for hospital purposes is totally beyond their ability to pay, and my council now understands that your board contemplates erecting the Paeroa hospital in brick instead of wood, as previously proposed. I have, therefore, been directed to lodge a strong protest from the council against increased expenditure suggested, and to point out that in view of the fact that the hospital at Paeroa will be ot an experimental nature the revenue therefrom will probably be less than 25 per cent, of .the cost of maintenance, and the capital expenditure should be reduced to the lowest cost and the cheapest structure that will, meet requirements adhered to.” The chairman- (Mr W. E. Hale) said that at the last meeting the board had passed a resolution recommending the acceptance bf the lowest tender in wood. However, since then the recommendations 'of the Health Department and the Paeroa Borough Council had beejii received. Mr W. J. Hall supported the letter from the Thames County Council and agreed that the hospital rates were increasing alarmingly. Mr G. Death also, agreed. Mr A. R. Robinson favoured the brick structure and strbngly supported the recommendation of the Paeroa Borough Council and the Health Department.

Mr J. W. Danby said it seemed to him that the decision of the board was favourable to give*the Paeroa hospital a good start. In his judgment to build in wood, in view of the objections of the majority of the local bodies, was a reasonable proposition. As the building at Paeroa was more or less an experiment he did not ebnsidey the board was justified in using the ratepayers’ money to build in brick. The Thames Hospital, built of wood, had been in use for 25 years, and it was reasonable to suppose it would last another 20 years at least. He thought it was a sound business proposition to erect the Paeroa building in wood. He was' not surprised to learn that the local bodies were becoming apprehensive at the increasing hospital rates and the powers of hospital boards to levy sucn rates. He entirely agreed that Paeroa should have a maternity hospital fitted up in an efficient manner, but in view of the enormous capital cost , and maintenance for an ■ experimental project it -should be built in wood and that it be left to posterity to consider a brick structure. He asked, in the name.of the ratepayers, that the board should pause before coming to a definite decision.

The chairman, in reply to Mr Death, said that he could not say that the department would not sanction the building in other than brick. If the department agreed to a wooden building he would be pleased ta see a start made at once.

Mr P. E. Brenan said that he could not agree with Mr Danby’s remarks, and pointed out that the board had provided for an expenditure of £9OOOl £2OOO of which was to be found by the local bodies and the balance by the Paeroa people,' plus Government ■subsidies. He supported the department’s recommendation that the building should be erected in brick at a cost of about £7350, and wasi not prepared to disapprove of the recommendation. The Paeroa Borough and Chamber of Commerce had not brought any influence to bea'r to obtain a brick building. Briefly, in the first place, the position was that the project was a £lO,OOO one, of which Paeroa had found approximately £6,000 including land. He did not think it was unreasonable to ask for a brick building, and he strongly supported the department’s recommendation.

Mr Death thought the board should adhere to its decision to build in wood,

Mr C. W. Kennedy said he did not wholly agree with Mr Danby’s remarks, and if it was possible at all he thought the building should be erected in brick. He favoured the contributing local bodies being given an opportunity of voting on the question of brick' versus wood. The chairman said that the board was representative of the ratepayers

as well as local’bodies, and the board should decide the matter. Mr Lange intimated that as it was desirous- to keep, expenses down he would support the wooden biulding. In his opinion a hospital at Paeroa was an extravagance, and he could not understand previous boards favouring the suggestion. The upkeep and the loss on the Paeroa, building would not be less than £lOOO a year. Mr Hall said he was desirous of seeing Paeroa get its hospital, but he favoured .a wooden building. Mr Brenan pointed out that the objections of the local bodies tvere principally. on account of maintenance: charges. He then moved the following resolution, which was seconded! by Mr Robinson :— "That the department be informed that the board decided in favour of wood owing to objections from contributing local bodies, but if the department requires, the building to be erected in brick, the board will have no alternative but to accept the tender in brick." Mr Danby moved as an amendment: “In reply to the communication of the Director-General of Health, recommending that the hospital in Paeroa be built-in brick, this board, having considered the matter again, haw decided that it is in the best interests of the ratepayers of the district, without sacrificing in any degree the benefits to the people of Paeroa, that the building be erected in wood, and' submits this decision to the deaprt* ment as the considered judgment of' the board.’’ .. Seconded by Mr Hall. On the amendment being put sixmembers supported it, Messrs Brenan, Robinson, Death, and Kennedy voting against it. The amendment was declared carried and the discussion closed.