Hospital Chairman Expresses Certainty

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 818, 12 November 1929, Page 1

Hospital Chairman Expresses Certainty

NEW DISEASES BLOCK “ON THE SITE SELECTED” '•There is no doubt that the block will be erected on the site selected and according to the plans made.’' nnHIS statement was made yesterday by Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, in discussing the final decision regarding the proposed new infectious diseases block for the hospital. At a special meeting being held this afternoon the board will consider various tenders for the block. At the last special meeting called on October 4 for this purpose, a difference of £B,OOO between the architect’s estimate and the lowest tender resulted in the question being deferred. Today the board will have before it a recommendation from the Building Committee that a certain tender be accepted. “It shows a big reduction on the price previously submitted to the board,” says Mr. Wallace. The board’s chairman, who is a strong advocate of the proposal to place the block in the Domain grounds despite Press and public opposition, claims that Dr. Hardie Neil has informed him that he investigated infectious diseases blocks attached to hospitals in America, and was in agreement with the Auckland proposals. Dr. Hardie Neil, Mr. Wallace says, also consulted Dr. McEachern, who was an admitted authority, and the latter, who knew Auckland hospital requirements, also approved. Eight tenders for the erection of the block were considered by the board at its previous meeting, the lowest being that of the Fletcher Construction Company, Limited, which submitted quotations of £41,631 and £60,790 for alternative blocks of three and five storeys. The board’s architects, Messrs. Brown and Kirk, estimated that the alternative schemes could be carried out for £33,500 and £52,500 respectively. After considerable discussion it was decided to refer the lowest tender to the Building Committee, which was to confer with the architects and Mr. C. S, Allan, technical adviser to the Health Department.