HUTS FOR NURSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 September 1942, Page 2

HUTS FOR NURSES

ERECTION PRACTICALLY COMPLETED LANSDOWNE SCHOOL HANDED BACK. WAIRARAPA HOSPITAL BOARD MEETING. As the erection of Public Works huts provided for the accommodation of nurses at the Masterton Hospital has now been practically completed, the Wairarapa Hospital Board has handed back the Lansdowne School building to the education authorities. During the past few weeks the school building had been used as an emergency hospital and later for sleeping accommodation for nurses evacuated from the earthquake-damaged Nurses’ Old Home. This information was made known at today’s meeting of the Wairarapa Hospital Board. The Finance Committee reported that the architect had been instructed to prepare detailed plans and specifications and the estimated cost for strengthening wards 3 and 4 of the Masterton Hospital with timber framing and that the proposals be submitted to the Department of Health and the Public Works Department. The matter of nursing staff accommodation was also considered and it was decided that arrangements should be made with the Public Works Department for the supply of four additional huts for accommodating the nursing, staff, for more sleeping room and bathroom facilities, the provision of which woiild obviate the necessity for the staff living out. As to the question of either erecting a new home or whether the top floor of the Nurses’ Old Home should be dismantled and replaced with a structure of light material. Mr p. S. Allen, constructional engineer, Wellington, was asked to discuss with the Public Works Department, a proposal for repairing the home by converting the top storey into a building of light structure. The chairman, Mr H. H. Mawley, said the architect considered that the strengthening of the wards could L>e carried out at less than the estimated cost of £5OO per ward. He anticipated being able to go straight ahead With the work and arrangements had been made to confer with the Health Department on Friday in connection with the proposals. It was intended to do these two wards first. As to the Nurses’ Old Home, nothing would be done before the matter came before the board for consideration. , The Department of Health advised, in reply to representations by the Waitarapa Hospital Board, that no general provision was made in _ regald to special grants for damage in the recent earthquakes. It would be necessary to submit full particulars of die approximate additional cost mvo v . Mr Mawley said it was intended to follow up the matter and to apply foi financial assistance as soon as the necessary particulars were available.