WEST COAST NOTES

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17721, 24 March 1923, Page 9

WEST COAST NOTES

MARUIA SPRINGS.

(special to "the psess.") GREYMOUTH, March 23. At the meeting of the Inangalma Hospital Board, Mr H. Betts moved that Grey, "Westland, Buller, and Nelson Boards be asked to join the Board in a movement to have the Maruia Springs vested in these Hospital Boards. He said it was time something of this kind was done. Since Murchison took control of this district, nothing whatever had been done. If had the Springs vested in them they could afford a caretaker, and perhaps yet a subsidy on the rates collected irom that district. Mr Auld reported that the buildings at the Springs were in a filthy state. The Springs' curative powers were, indeed, marvellous. Mr Watson saiil the Nelson Land Board offered to let the reserve of 5000 acres, but they required the lessee to erect the building, the- same to revert to the Crown at the expiry of a term of years. This was preposterous. Mr Betts suggested, in the event of the replies being satisfactory, that :> conference of delegates be arranged to discuss the matter. The motion was carried unanimously. Blackball Medical Association. Consequent on the lire in the Blackball mine, and the subsequent desertion of the town, the Blackball Medical Association has fallen on evil days. Reduced membership has brought- about reduced subscriptions, with a result that the Association, finding itself unable for the time being to adhere fully to the agreement with the Grev Hospital Board regarding the maintenance of members in Hospital, to-day sent a deputation to the Board to ask for relief. Mr Fitzgibbnns said that the Association was working at a big loss- since the fire in November, and hn'if* found it very djifncult to maintain the agreement in existence. Prior to the fire there was a membership of 350 to 400. Tt was now reduced to 190 members. Mr Ritchie said the Association was ! working at n loss of £3O every month. They needed the help of the Board. The average earnings of the workers at present were down to bedrock; £3 5s per week was the most that any of them were securing. The chairman (Mr J. W. TTannan)

said the Board was onite satisfied -with the manner in which the Association had adhered to its agreement, and would grant the deputation's request. Seavlew Mental Hospital. Satisfactory progress is being made with the rebuilding scheme at the Seaview Mental Hospital. The new nd- j ministrative quarters are now well ad- I vanced, and the bakery, quite on mod- j era lines from a labonr-saivinfj and handling; point of view, is now in use. The culinary quarters will soon be available, and the staff accommodation shortly after. The buildings are commodious, and the material, including joinery, is being; prepared at the local works, where a very complete plant is installed. The new drainage system is also in a forward state. Personal. Dr. Lorell Gregg, Medical Superintendent of the Grey River Hospital, tendered his resignation to the Hospital Board, which accepted it at this afternoon's meeting. Matron Kitto, who has been appointed to Quamby, also tendered her resignation, -which was accepted. Sister Braidwood was appointed actingmatron. Mr "Justice Adams left this morning by special car for Christchureh, en route to Wellington, to attend the sittings of the Court of Appeal. Mr Lancaster, of Wellington, has arrived at Westport to report on n hydro-electric system for flie borough and other works. Funeral. The funeral of Mr John Ward, who died, at Christchureh, took place this afternoon at the Karoro Cemetery, and was largely attended By meimjers of the Masonic and Druids' Lodges of Runanga, Brunner, and Greymouth. The Rev. ] T. N. Cuttle read the burial service, and the Masonic and Druidic services •were also read at the graveside. Supreme Court. Owen Francis O'Connell, a railway cadet, convicted of the theft of two postal notes, came up for sentence at Greymouth Supreme Court to-day. His Honour Mr Justice Adams; referring to an application to place the prisoner on probation, said that his experience in Auckland of the working of the Act proved that 90 per cent.' of the cases so dealt with resulted in the reclamation of the prisoners concerned. He desired to remove any idea that probation was condonation of the offence, and no actual punishment. Probation amounted to severe discipline, and during the term ensured supervision of conduct, with a maximum probability of reform. In regard to convicted officers' in places of trust, probation had to be applied with extreme caution, but he thought the present case was an exceptional one, O'Connell was sentenced to three years' probation, and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution, and submit weekly to the probation officer an account of all the money received and expended. Probation was refused to James Lancastei Parker, who was convicted of an indecent assault on a married woman. He was sentenced to threei years' reformative detention, Mr Justice Adams remarking the matter was thus left entirely to the Prisons Board.