PAEROA HOSPITAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5140, 17 June 1927, Page 4

PAEROA HOSPITAL.

REDUCTION OF ARCHITECT*® FEES

HANDSOME DONATION MADE

An echo of the proposal to erect a maternity hospital at Paeroa was again the subject of discussion at Monday’s meeting of the Thames Hospital Board. It may be remembered that Mr E. E. Gillman, architect, Hamilton, was asked to submit plans and specifications of a wooden building and, as an alternative plans, etc., for a brick building. Although nothing came of the undertaking at the time Mr Gillman was entitled to payment for the professional services rendered and he forwarded his account for fees according to' scale. At one meeting of the board the amount of the account was fully discussed, and it was referred back to the architect with a request that he consider making a substantial reduction in the amount, in view of the erection of the building not being proceeded with.

Appreciating the position the board was in, Mr Gillman made a reduction on the amount claimed and practically stood out of his fees on the brick building. Even then there was still a large sum due to Mr Gillman.

In order that some further compromise might be made the chairman (Mr W. E. Hale) and deputy-chairman (Mr J. W. Danby) waited on Mr Gillman at Hamilton on June 3. As an outcome of that conference the following letter was received from Mr' Gillman at Monday’s meeting of the board :—

“I met your committee as arranged, hut we did not arrive at any decision as I could not possibly make the reduction asked for. As mentioned in my letter when I rendered my account, you will see I have already made a substantial allowance, but as I understand the account is a charge upon the Paeroa hospital building funds it is my intention to make a donation of £5O to the Paeroa hospital building fund upon settlement of my account as previously rendered.” Mr Danby reported on the conference with Mr Gillman, and pointed out that the board had no legal grounds to press for a further reduction of the amount due to Mr Gillman. Mr C. W. Kennedy said it was an unfortunate position that the fees were payable from the Paeroa fund, and care should be taken in such matters in the future.

In moving the adoption of the roport and the acceptance of the offer the chairman said that Mr Gillman was approximately £6 worse off than he would have been had he accepted the offer submitted to him by the speaker and the deputy-chairman. Mr Parfitt seconded, and the resolution was carried.