COSTLEY HOME FOR THE AGED POOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 96, 24 April 1889, Page 8

COSTLEY HOME FOR THE AGED POOR.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE.

His Excellency the Governor, the Earl of Onslow, having kindly consented to lay the foundation stone of the Costley Home for the Aged Poor, the ceremony waa arranged to take place at i o'clock this afternoon. All preliminaries were arranged by the Charitable Aid Board at a special meeting held this forenoon, and the contractor also made hasty preparations for the event. It has been arranged that Mr Chas. Atkin, Chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, shall open proceedings with a few remarks, explaining the object of ■ the gathering, that Mr O. Mays, ex - Chairman of the Board, thall then give a brief outline of charitable relief as dispensed by that body, and then His Excellency, the Governor, will be introduced by Mr C Atkin. His Excellency will lay the foundation sbene with the customary ceremony, and deposit documents and newspapers, and will probably make some observations bearing on the ceremony, after which proceedings will bo brought to a close.

The Costley Home for tho Aged Poor ia intended to supersede the present refuges, and the name which the institution will bear has been chosen in accordance with the terms of the late Mr Costley'a will. Mr Cofetley, amongst his numerous large bequests, donated sums of £12,100 towards the Auckland Hospital, and £12,100 towards charitable aid, and it is out of the lasc mentioned sum that the expenditure on the Costley Home for the Aged Poor is to coma. The contract price is £7297, the designer is Mr E. Bartley, ai'chitect, and the contractor is Mr E. A. Matthews. Mr Bartley's sketch shows a handsomestructure designed on the pavilion plan, as are all such buildings on tho continent, th^ib is, instead of there being one large building, the Refuge will be composed of a number of buildings connected by covered ways. Tlio centre building will be 120 ft. long and 42ft. wide, two storeys high, to include two" diningrooms, three wards for women, attendants' quarters and kitchen. There will be a balcony and verandah on three sides of this portion of the building. At the rear of the main building, 40ft. distant, will bo four other buildings, 20ft. apart, each 94ft. long and 43ft. wide, and each containing 38 beds and 2 day rooms. Behind these, again, it is proposed to erect bathrooin3, lavatories, etc. With the exception of the portion referred to as the."main" building, the structure will be only one storey in height. It will bo a plain brick building in two colours, with slated roof, and plastered inside. Besides the buildings and outbuildings referred to, there are to be a cancer ward, wash-house, and sundry other buildings, all the arrangements being made with the view of placing the management in possession of the best facilities for prevention of fire, the spread of infectious disease, or for future extension.

The site chosen at Epsom is situated close to Potter's Paddock, and adjoins Captain Campbell's olive plantation. It is seven acres in extent, and the Costley Home will occupy about an acre. It is so designed, however, that it can be enlarged at any future time to meet the requirements of the institution without disfiguring the building. The building as designed will accommodate 200 inmates, while tho number in the present refuges is about 150, so that there will probably be room to spare for some considerable time bo come.