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Story: Hospitals

Auckland Hospital, 1850s

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Auckland Hospital, 1850s

Auckland's first hospital was built in 1847. It and Wellington Hospital were the first public hospitals in New Zealand. They treated both European and Māori patients, the latter for free. Governor George Grey believed that offering free hospital care to Māori would help assimilate them into European society. The Auckland building had four large wards that could accommodate 8 to 10 patients, two smaller wards with five beds, and a room with one bed. Other facilities included a surgery, a kitchen, a loft and two apartments for staff.

Using this item

Auckland Council Libraries − Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Reference: 4-305

by James D. Richardson

Permission of Auckland City Libraries Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Linda Bryder, Hospitals – Establishment of hospitals in New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/27537/auckland-hospital-1850s (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Linda Bryder, published 22 March 2011, updated 1 July 2022.