H.—3l.

The building proposals under discussion for the Hospital include : — (1) Additional accommodation for nurses. (2) Special ward for children. During the year a new swimming-bath was built for the use of the nursing staff. Public donations provided nearly all the money required for the work. Wairoa Hospital Board. —The additions to the Nurses' Home and cottage for domestics were completed. The hospital is still seriously overcrowded, and further additions to the women's ward are contemplated. As these when completed will be the last practical addition to the present buildings, and as certain essential services such as kitchen and laundry are not now equal to requirements, it will be necessary to plan the lay-out for a new hospital so that when replacements of the above services are done they will form part of the new Institution. Cook Hospital Board.- Tenders for the erection of the additions to the Nurses' Home and the new boiler-house and laundry have been accepted. The preliminary plans for a new tuberculosis annexe are at present being discussed. Waiapu Hospital Board.—During the year the Board was presented with a large residence at Waipiro Bay. This has been converted into a maternity annexe, and the old one at Tokomaru Bay has been closed. Bay of Plenty Hospital Board. —The new laundry building has been completed, and the machinery installed. The Board is now considering essential additions to the hospital, and also further additions to the Nurses' Home. Tauranga Hospital Board. —The additions to Tauranga Hospital and the Nurses' Home have been completed. The new cottage for nurses at Te Puke is also completed. Waikato Hospital Board. —Waikato Hospital: The new office block has been completed, and the administration and out-patient block at the Waikato Hospital are nearing completion. Rotorua Hospital : This hospital continues to be fully occupied, and it is proposed to use the isolation ward for general cases. To provide accommodation for cases of infectious disease plans for alterations and additions to one of the hutments have been prepared. Auckland Hospital Board.--- Apart, from the preparation of plans and detailed drawings for the additions to the Nurses' Home, very little progress has been made with the proposals to provide additional accommodation at the main hospital. During the year a special hospital for the treatment of crippled children was opened at North Shore. The house and grounds were donated by Mr. Wilson. Whangarei Hospital Board. —Tenders for the proposed additions to the hospital have been let, and the work is in progress. Bay of Islands Hospital Board. —A report on the further development of this hospital was prepared, and during the incoming year part of the work will be proceeded with. Whangaroa Hospital Board. —No substantial progress has been made in respect to the suggested additions to the hospital. Slight modifications to the proposed plan have been made. Mangonui Hospital Board. —Plans for the new laundry and boiler-house are in course of preparation. Kaipara Hospital Board. —The existing hospital continues to be grossly overcrowded. A new site has been secured, and it is anticipated that the preparation of plans for a new hospital will be proceeded with next year. Taumarunui Hospital Board.- It is anticipated the additions to the Nurses' Home will be completed in 1938. Taranaki Hospital Board - The erection of the tuberculosis annexe is proceeding and should be completed during 1938. Patea Hospital Board. —A report on the method of providing the necessary additional accommodation at Patea Hospital for nurses and domestic staff was submitted to the Board, and preliminary sketches have been prepared by the Board's architect. Wangamii Hospital Board.—Wanganui Hospital: The new isolation block is at present being built. Raetihi Hospital: A report dealing with the problem of accommodation and extensions to this hospital was furnished to the Board. When additional land is acquired it is proposed to erect a new maternity ward. Palmerston North Hospital Board. —Further discussions re the building proposals of the Board have taken place, but a final decision has not yet been reached. The alterations to the children's ward are proceeding. Otaki Sanatorium : Additional accommodation for patients has been provided. Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer. —Contract was let for provision of a forty-two bed male pavilion with theatre, recreation-rooms, storage facilities, and for an administration block for the whole of the hospital at a total cost of £72,441. Amalgamation. Following the findings of Commissions, the Wallace and Fiord Hospital District has been amalgamated with the Southland Hospital District, and the Coromandel, Thames, and Waihi Hospital Districts have been combined under one Board. Hospital Commissions : Napier Hospital. Owing to the receipt of several complaints regarding the hospital, a Royal Commission of Inquiry was set up, and presented its report on 12th July, 1937. The findings of the Commission concerning the administration, the conduct of the children's ward, and the treatment to which certain children were subjected, and other matters, was trenchant, and indicated a lack of co-operation between the various administrative officers. Following the receipt of the Commission's report various recommendations were made to and discussed with the Board. R. A. Shore, Director, Division of Hospitals,

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