RETURNED SOLDIERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 56, 7 March 1942, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS

EVELYN FIRTH HOME

REOPENING SHORTLY

The Eyelyn Firth Home is to be reopened as a convalescent hospital for returned soldiers. This decision was made last night at a meeting of the Joint council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society- The council, It was stated, had been requested to open the home as soon as possible, and the hope !S?. r ?.? e £ d S fter * he meeting that this would be done in a few weeks' time.

Essential alterations would be necessary, and It was reported that about £1000 would be needed for this and possibly about £3000 for other desirable alterations. Major J. Abel, of Wellington, Dominion organiser for the Joint council, who was present, said that, following upon the part he had taken in the preliminary plane, he could guarantee the £1000 needed for the first alterations.

It was made clear that the soldiers for whom the home would cater would bo of exactly the same type as those for whom It had provided since the last war. This means that provision would be made for men of both wars. Maximum accommodation would be for 30. The meeting gave the architect, Mr. Norman Wade, authority to start with the work Immediately, and It Iβ hoped to start on Monday. A committee of management, consisting of five members of the Order of St. John and five from the Rer! Cross Society, was net up.