NURSES’ NEW HOME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1943, Page 2

NURSES’ NEW HOME

REPAIRS WITHOUT BOARD’S AUTHORITY

POSITION OF THE ARCHITECT.

DISCUSSION AT MEETING TODAY.

Reference to a leakage under sills and to probable leaks in the roof of the Nurses’ New Home at the Masterton Hospital was made at today’s meeting of the Wairarapa Hospital Board. At a meeting of the Finance Committee on August 9 the Managing-Secre-tary, Mr Norman Lee, reported that men were working on the home, but that no information had been received as to the proposals and the estimated cost. It was then decided that the architect, Mr F. C. Daniell, be asked to submit,a fqll_repqrt for consideration at At today’s' meeting Mr Lee said no report had yet been received from Mr Daniell.

Mr H. H. Mawley, chairman, said the position was that work was being done without the authority of the board. He proposed to refer further to the architect in dealing with general business. Mi’ H. Thomas said the board could not allow that to continue. Mr P. R. Welch said leaks in the roof were covered by a guarantee. Mr Lee said Mr Daniell had indicated in an earlier report that the contractor for the Nurses’ New Home had been granted a clearance and that the faults had been found after the clearance had been given. The cracks in the concrete walls etc. were of a minor nature.

Mr A. Forsberg said it was incredible that such trouble should be .experienced with a new building. Mr Mawley said the position in a nutshell was that the architect was too busy to do the board’s work. The architect’s fees paid by the board were sufficient to keep an architect attached to the board.

Mr Lee said the Borough Engineer had given a quotation of £ll7 for the completed job of laying water mains at the Masterton Hospital. The work was supposed to be done by the council, but he had found three men employed by a private contractor on the job. He presumed Mr Daniell had put these men on. He had written to Mr Daniell five times to get something definite regarding the cost. Mr Daniell had not given anything definite. Also the accounts for the work carried out at the Lansdowne School in'l942 had not been finalised by the architect. It was decided to refer the matter to the Finance Committee for action.