NEW COSTLEY WARDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 302, 22 December 1898, Page 7

NEW COSTLEY WARDS.

THE OPENING CEREMONY. ; ]. : _

LORD KANFURLJ. ON COLONIAL

HOSPITALS,

' Fully two thousand people assembled at the Auckland Hospital Grounds on November 30 to witness the ceremony of the opening of ! the new -"■ Costley Wards. The ' verandahs around the building were crowded with ladies, while i one portion was reserved for. j His Excellency the Governor, the ! Countess of Ranfurly, and party, also ! for invited guests and mem'uers of ! the Charitable Aid Board and friends. The portion of the verandah selected for His Excellency was " surrounded with a small arch of greenery. Mr ■ Jas. Stichbury (chairman p£ the Hosj pital and Charitable Aid Board) presided. ' The vice-regal party in attendance were His Excellency, Countess Ranfurly, Lord ..'Northland, • Lady Con- ; stance Knox, Captain Dudley Alexander, Professor Carl Schmitt, Mr Garland, and the-^ev. L. Fitzgerald. A guard of honour of the King's College Cadets, under Captain Major and Lieutenants Crump and Stuckey, awaited" the'arrival of the Governor, and received Hh Excellency with a; royal salute. Representatives of the Auckland Friendly Societies under Mi- H. T. Garratt and thtT hospital nurses were also lined up in waiting for the arrival of the. vice-regal party, who were received, on aiighting from" their carriages by Mi* Stichbury (the . chairman) and members of " the Hospital and Charitable Aid 'Board, and Dr. Baldwin (Medical Superintendent of the hospital), and conducted tc the balcony. A choir of r;choo'.' children, under Mr J .E. Taylor, a member of. the Hospital and Charitable Aid .Hoard, sang' '-.'od Save the Queen.' and as the vice-regal party took their seats, Miss Rosa M. Stichbury presented Lady R; rifurly with a handsome bouquet. The members' of the Charitable Aid Board, including Messrs T. Allen and ii. P. Friend, recently elected, were present iff full number. Among the many others present were:—Mrs Wpttpn, Hospital Matron; Dr. arid Mrs Haines, Drs. Bedford, Sharman, ..Scott, Erson, Parkes, Darby, HoiocOValker. Lewis, Girdler, Beale, >P{ibst,;l'ting, Mr P. Dignan, Mr H.. W. Brabant, S.Mi, Hon. J. A. Tole,' Hon. W. Jennings, Revs. G. B. Monro, Robertson, Larkinr;, Johhstone (St. Barnabas')', McNickle, Gillam, L. Fitzgeralu, Hawthorne, Boler, W. Finlay Wilson, Rev. Dr. Egan, Rev. Fathers Buckley and Paul, Rabbi Goldstei.i, 11. N. Garland (secretary of Charitable Aid Board), J. 11. Upton, J. Muir, S. Luke, J. M. Sheia. W. Rattray, Shackelford (Mayor of Newton), | Pollard (Mayor of Parnell), Cro.vther, Seegner, W. Brakenrig (1.M.C.A.), 1 Baiinle, Courtnej-, Cairns, Jamieson. Patterson, C. C. M '. Jllan, M. Niccol (chairman of Harbour Board), E. Bartley, Holland. After Mr Stichbury had addressed the assemblage, and acknowledged donations to the Hospital. Lord Ranfurly was called on, and declared the buildings open. Cheers were the:i given for Lord and Lady Ranfurly, and the school children, accompanied by Hunter's Garrison Band, sang 'God Defend New Zealand.' Mr C. C. McMillan,!*. A 7.. D.G.M.E.C., then gave an address. He said it was a great satisfaction to the Masonic ! body that they had been able to contribute to the Children's Hospital—a satisfaction which was shared by all. New Zealand Masons. . ■ . ■ . ■ Mr John vLcLeod, chairman of the Friendly Societies' Conference, aiso spoke. Mr H. T. Garratt acted as M.C., and performed his duties well. The singing of the patriotic song, 'My Own New Zealand Home-,' by the school children, 'accompanied by the Garrisqn.Band, brought the proceedings to, a close, . ■