Former Sanatorium Patients And Staff Planning Re-union

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30393, 18 March 1964, Page 2

Former Sanatorium Patients And Staff Planning Re-union

Where are all the New Zealanders who owe their lives to treatment received at the Cashmere Sanatorium since 1914? That is the problem facing a committee organising a reunion for former patients and staff of the hospital, to be held next September. “We have only the haziest

idea of the numbers of former patients and staff of the last 50 years and where most of them are now,” said Mr A. Mayell, chairman of the Cashmere Sanatorium Reunion Committee, yesterday. “We are trying to contact those who are already aware of the reunion and we are as many as possible through sending out circulars to

known names and addresses.

“But the job of locating people we feel would like to attend the functions is our biggest problem at present. In the meantime, we would be pleased to hear from anyone interested who has not heard from us.”

The idea of holding a reunion came from a group of former patients and staff in Christchurch, when they realised it will be 50 years in June since the Coronation Hospital of the sanatorium was opened, he said. Interim Plans The programme, planned so far, is for a conversazione in the afternoon of Saturday, September 5, followed by tea in the eventing. The committee hopes to hold a church service next afternoon, with the rest of the week-end free for visitors to be entertained in private homes of Christchurch associates. “We feel that visitors and other guests will want to spend most of the time just talking about old times and renewing acquaintances,” he said.

It is hoped to be able to billet visitors from other parts of New Zealand. The committee has set up three sub-committees to look after publicity, entertainment and hospitality and finance.