The finishing touches are now being put on the new buildings of the General Hospital in Soochow Road, and their occupation in a few weeks' time should mark a very definite stage of progress in the improvement and efficiency of the hospital administration.
The two extensive blocks of new buildings, which are situated on the north-east corner of the hospital compound, are designed entirely to meet the needs of the hospital administration, one providing much needed accommodation for the Sisters, and the other, known as the Kitchen block, being exclusively arranged for the domestic work of the hospital. The buildings here been designed by Mr. George A Johnson (of thy firm of Lester, Johnson & Morriss), and the contract for is Koo Lan-chow. Every state of the work has been very carefully supervised, with the result that a appreciable saving on the estimated cost has been effected, without impairing workmanship or the quality of the materials used. The building will at once be seen to be admirably planned and efficiently and economically constructed, the accommodstion being adequate and com fortable, but plain in style, The exterior is of red brick with patent stone facing.
Accommodation for the Sisters, The building for the Sisters is four storeys, and covers an ares of 6,600 square feet. The office of the Sister Superior, the community room, @ parlour, a general work room, and small store rooms, take up the space on the ground floor On the first floor are the sick wards for the Sisters, and a chapel, the latter having " two-floor elevation It is simple in style, with blue and white decoration, and has a wooden gallery.
An outside stair-case has been provided, to be used by members of the public who may attend the services Dormitories take up most of the space on the second and third floors, and the larger rooms on the south side have long verandahs. It is true they overlook an unsightly and_insanitary group of Chinese buildings on the Chapoo and Soochow Rosd corner, but as the site is part of the hospital ground, a welcome aad necessary clearance may be made as circumstances and the finsncis) situation permit,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.