HOSPITAL BUILDINGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1942, Page 4

HOSPITAL BUILDINGS

NO MAJOR DAMAGE DONE BY EARTHQUAKE WAIRARAPA BOARD MOST FORTUNATE. FULLER REPORT AWAITED. “There has been no major damage?” asked Mr J. F. Thompson at today’s meeting of the Wairarapa Hospital Board, referring to the board’s buildings, following the recent earthquake. The chairman, Mr H. H. Mawley: “Not as far as I know at the moment.’ He added that the board had been most fortunate. The Managing-Secretary, Mr Norman Lee, said the Masterton Hospital buildings were reasonably safe. The engineers would return at a later date to make a more detailed investigation. There was no serious structural damage in any of the buildings. Mr Lee went on to report in detail on the damage to the hospitals at Masterton and Greytown and other buildings owned ' by the board. Repairs at Masterton, he said, were very nearly completed and Greytown Hospital, where temporary repairs had been made, was reasonably watertight. Mr Lee stated that the Hospitals Emergency Service went into operation promptly and the emergency light plant was functioning at Masterton Hospital twenty minutes after the earthquake. Mr Lee made special reference to the ready and prompt assistance offered by the military forces and by many members of the public. “As far as Greytown is concerned, we owe the Army a real debt of gratitude,” said Mr Thompson. It was not more than five minutes after the quake before they were at the hospital. He was aware, too, of the work they did at Masterton.

Mr Mawley said all board members agreed that the Army had given very valuable assistance. An ambulance had also come to Masterton from Waipukurau, sent by the Waipawa Hospital Board.

The board passed motions thanking the Army and the Waipawa Hospital Board for their assistance and expressing its appreciation of the work of the staffs of all institutions following the earthquake.