PAEROA HOSPITAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4925, 13 January 1926, Page 2

PAEROA HOSPITAL.

BRICK OR WOOD CONTROVERSY. v

DIRECTOR-GENERAL’S VIEWD

The much-discussed topic of whether the Paeroa maternity and casualty hospital should be erected in wood or brick was brought before the Thames Hospital and Charitable Aid Board at its. meeting on Monday, when the following letter, dated January 6, was received from the Direc-tor-General of Health :— “With reference to your letter dated December 18. the reason I did not reply was that I proposed to visit Thames and discuss the matter, but; was unable to do so. “I cannot see my way to depart from my decision tliat the Paeroa Hospital shall be erected in brick. I would point out that your board had been willing to .incur a greater expense in erecting tile hospital in wood, and I cannot see, therefore, why your board should object to the slight extra cost of proceeding with the modified plansi in brick.” Mr Kennedy: Pretty definite, isn’t it. ! Mr Danby said that the position' was now that the Director-General should be invited to meet the board in conference as early as possible. The board had no desire to evade its, responsibilities, a ( nd was desirous of Paeroa receiving that which it had been promised, and a building in wood had already been authorised). It had to be remembered, however, tnat three of the five contributory localbodies, representing a nearly 80* per cent, of the capital value in the board’s district, had agreed to the building being erected in wood. A brick structure wap a, different proposition. He held that with all due deference to the considered judgment of the Director-General it was desirable that he should meet the board in conference before further steps in the matter were taken. There was also the Waihi hospital amalgamation to be considered. He would move to that effect

Mr Robinson said that he thought Mr Dtijiiby was out of order in moving as he had.

Mr Kennedy said he could not see how any good purpose could be served by a conference. For the sake of an extra £l6OO to build in brick would be fully justified. He contended that the board was quite qualified to give effect to its recommendations. For 'over five years the board had shelved the Paeroa hospital, and he considered it vza,s high time a definite move was made.

Mr Kennedy then moved as an amendment that the erection of the hospital in brick be proceeded with. Seconded by Mr A. R. Robinson, who said that he could not see, from an economical. viewpoint, why the Thames representatives should object to the erection in .brick.

In outlining the posiiton Mr P. E. Brenan said that the proposition was approximately a £lo,ooo' one, of which amount the Thames ratepayers would be called on to find about £3OOO only. By holding up the erection waiting for a conference there was a great chance tliat the board would lose a very advantageous tender. He. heartily supported the amendment. At this juncture Mr J. Lange seconded the resolution moved by Mr Danby. . ,

The amendment was then put and’ declared lost on the casting vote of the chairman, who remarked that it was unfortunate .that so contentious a matter should be decided on a casting vote.

When the secretary read the resolution Mr Robinson agagn objected, p< inting out that such a proposition was out of order in tliat the question of the amalgamation was outside: the subject under discussionl

Replying to Mr Lange Mr Robinson said that he would agree to Mr Danby putting forward the amalgamation question as a separate resolution.

Mr Danby contended! that his resjo-. lution was quite in order as it stood, and said that he could incorporate any matter pertaining to the operations of the board so long as the chief issue was embodied in the motiqn. The chairman ruled that the resolution was in order, and on being put to the meeting it was declared carried, Messrs, Brenan, Robinson, Kennedy, and Death voting against it.

So matters lie until such time as the Director-General,, can arrange* to meet the board in conference on the subject.