CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 66, 13 March 1912, Page 6

CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL.

HEAVY EXPENDITURE. (Per Christchurch, March 12. The North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board proposed to expend £20,000 for an administrative block at Christchurch hospital. Dr. Vn'lintinc, Insiieotor-Genaral of- Hospitals, attended, and gave reasons why such a large sum should not be. expended. He stated that the-estimat-ed capital expenditure to be raised for hospital buildings in New Zealand during the next live years was £IOO,000, and that did not include the cost of maintenance. Ho had certainly approved of plans for the administrative block, but had not imagined that they were to cost £20,000. He considered that amount too great, and had, in consequence, thought it necessary to cut down the expenditure. It would certainly be false economy to erect the building in secticno if that would cost £3OOO more, but ho considered that the question was whether the buildings were necessary. It was only a matter of time when Christchurch would have to have an infectious diseases hospital, and taking that into consideration, ho did not consider the erection of an administrative block a wise proposition; an isolation Ward was much more necessary. Those anxious for the erection of now buildings did not perhaps realise that during the next few years it would be necessary to spend £67,500 in Christchurch as follows: Infectious diseases hospital, £12,000; administrative buildings, £20,000; isolation ward, £800; and the remainder to bo spent in renovating the present buildings. According to the chairman, local bodies would be taxed during the next low years as follows: This year, £6OOO to £7000; 1914, £5000; 1915, £5000; 1916, £SOOO ; a total of £28,000, which, with the Government subsidy, would total £76,000. It was remarkable, ton, that though Christchurch was t!>" smallest of the four big hospital centres, yet it wanted the biggest and most expensive administrative buildings. Wellington, nearly twice as largo as Christchurch as far as hospitals were concerned, managed with nnebalf the accommodation proposed to bo established by the Christchurch Board. The wards of the Christchurch hospital certainly required attention before tire administrative section. It was decided after discussion that further plans should he prepared for an administrative block at an estimated cost of from £IO,OOO to £12,000, and for an isolation ward estimated to cost from £6OOO to £7OOO.