Hospital Board Loans.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 14 September 1918, Page 3

Hospital Board Loans.

j—♦ — REFUSED!BY MINISTER. "CUT YOU CPAT ACCORDING TO , ' YOUR CLOTH." In reply to the recent request of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to be allowed to extend their borrowing powers in connection with the hospital building scheme;, the following letter was received from the Minister for Public Health:— "I regret I cannot see my way to accede to your request "to allow further borrowing powers to the extent of £12,000 as proposed in your letter. (1) The original sum is ample. If, on testing the builder's estimates, the amount is short, then cut your coat according to your cloth and recast your estimates. (2) Bearing in mind the country is now at war, and that large claims are being made on the Public Trustee for assisting the war funds, I cannot see my way, as Minister in charge of the Public Trust Office, to agree to the funds of that institution being called upon for the amount requested by your Board. "I therefore request your Board to reconsider the position and to reduce your proposals to tlie expenditure of £34,000 that has already been agreed to. "At Dannevirke last Wednesday I opened new hospital buildings consisting of (1) morgue, (2) steam laundry, (3) infectious diseases hospital buildings, consisting of 16 beds in four wards, with all appointments, (4) nurses' home to accommodate a complete sta,ff. The total co-.t of the buildings was £11,000, and if erected now would probably cost an extra j £2000. Under all the circumstances, therefore, the time has now corno for your Board to recast its proposals and to endeavour to find some- method whereby.it can erect the buildings now required on I .a cheaper basis than the. one now suggested." . t i After discussion it was dcckled that a deputation consisting of Sir James Wilson, Mr J. A. Nash, and Mr J. K. Hornblow, wait on the Minister to endeavour to get liim to alter his decision.