NEW MENTAL HOSPITAL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 251, 16 April 1910, Page 5

NEW MENTAL HOSPITAL.

' A King Country Site. The Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister in charge of Hospitals, told a New Zealand Times' reporter that the site of the Central Mental Hospital is south of Te Awamutu and Kihikihi and north of Otorohanga The main road from Otorohanga to Kihikihi partly intersects it. The nearest stations are Kawa and Te Puhi. The estate comes within about a mile and a-half of the Te Puhi station. A light railway is projected from this station into the heart of the estate. Each section of the hospital will be constructed as the necessity arises. The area of land is about 5000 acres, and it is intended to carry on agricultural pursuits. The Minister remarked that buildings will first of all be placed on the part of the estate near the station, and later these will be vacated and put to a special purpose. In order to afford a complete classification scheme, the building will be constructed on the unit, or separate villa, principle, each holding from 25 to 100 patients. A light tramway will be employed to take food to the different units, and other services. This, it is expected, will save the expense of communicating corridors. The Minister, after explaining the proposals, added: "I need hardly say that the programme is an exten2ive one, and looks well into the future. The institution will be under the charee of Dr Crosby, who is going to the Old Country on leave between the closing of the Mount View Hospital [and the erection of the first buildings on the new site."