Lae's New European Hospital is All Ready to Function - Almost

TOP LEFT: Lae's new hospital which the town has waited for for 10 years. It is not functioning yet—a water-purification plant and an air-conditioning plant for the operating theatre is holding up [?]he transfer from the old hospital, of rusted tin and tarred paper (shown between the X's, lower photograph) which has been a disgrace to the district ever since the Army left it behind in 1945.

No reilable estimates of the cost of the new establishment are avai lable; it is rumoured that, fully equipped, the cost will be about £250,000. As the hospital will cater for about 35 patients, this certainly seems excessive. However, no matter what it costs, doubt less staff and patients will feel that it is worth it.

But it is regrettable that a woman was not permitted to run her eye over the plans for the Sisters' quarters before the contractors got bus y. PIM was privileged to see through these in June, and although generally excellent it was noticed, (a) cupboards in the kitchen were too far up the wall for the average woman or cook boy; (b) a huge double stainless-steel sink capable of washing dishes for a regiment was installed, but the small domestic electric stove was more suitable for a suburban family of four than for catering tor 18 nurses; (c) Lack of storage space in the Sisters' rooms— small wardrobes about 6 ft. x 4 ft. x 2 ft. are built-in, but some

genius has not thought to take the fitment up to the ceiling; abo 24 ft. of cubic space, which would have been suitable for stori cases, etc., is simply built up in the wall and lost.

TOP RIGHT: The native staff quarters for the new hospital.