Palmerston Hospital Board.

Manawatu Herald, 18 June 1895, Page 2

Palmerston Hospital Board.

On Thursday a meeting of the above Board took place and Amongst 4 other business Mr Atkins' report on the hospital building was read. He recom* mended that the plaster ceiling of the main ward be replaced by galvanised iron, and that a number of minor repairs be effected. The Chairman said it had been reported to him that the walls of the main ward were not strong enough to support the building, and (hat there Was great danger of the plaster falling from the ceiling and innioting serious injury on patients. The estimated cost of the repairs was about £200. Mr Snelson thought the Borough could congratulate themselves on the fact that there was nothing at aU serious with the condition of the hos« pital building, and no reflectiou was cast on anybody in connection with its construction. The main defect was the ceiling of the main ward, and he had always considered it impracticable, though the praotice was indulged in, to put plaster ceilings in wooden buildings. He did not think the Board had any idea of dii-* pensing with the services of Mr Larcomb against whom, in the face of the report of an outside expert, there was no semblance of a charge of negligence. The Chairman said hia experience of plaoing plaster oeilings in wooden* buildings was different to that of Bfr Snelson. Mr Ransome said the state of the building showed that there bad been great laxity shown in its construction. Someone was to bhine for this, and it was the duty of tbe Board to find out upon whom the responsibility for this discreditable state of affairs rested. Mr Saxon agreed with Mr Ransome that the building had been faultily constructed, and the blame '*- should be sheeted home. The Chairman said the. Board oould only hold one responsible, aiid and tbat was the architect, upon whose experience the members wholly relied. There was tto truth ' in the allegation that there had been any « cbeese paring " on the part of tbe Board in the construction of the building. He remarked that Mr Atkins had refused to give att opinion on the work done. He suggested tbat the Board appoint no architeot at all. ■■-■■:: fgff The report was adoptecß ****• ®&k Mr West was appointed to oarry out the vror\..-~Standard, -