FOR THE AGED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 302, 15 September 1908, Page 8

FOR THE AGED.

1 . A MARLBOROUGH PROJECT. The Minister in Charge of Hospitals (Hon. 6. Fowlds) received yesterday afternoon _ a deputation representing the Wairau and Picton Hospital Boards. Their object was to obtain Government assistance for the erection of an old men's home for the two districts. , . The Hon. C. H. Mills, in introducing the deputation, stated that a part of the Wairau general hospital had' been used as an old men's home, and the Government had placed £1000 on the Estimates for building a new hospital, but the board, without taking the money, erected additions, so that there was now adequate accommodation for tho patients. They desired that the Government would transfer tho £1000 that had been voted for tho hospital to the erection of the old men's homo for all parts of Marlborough, and would also add something to tho vote. Messrs. Bell (chairman of the AVairau Hospital Board), G. Chaytor (chairman Picton Hospital Board), and M'Callum (Wairau Hospital Board) also spoko on the subject. Tho Minister, in reply, said he was glad to learn that the two boards had agreed to unito for this purpose. This would be in tho interests of economy for both, and would be the right thing to do. He would be glad to givo tlio most favourable consideration to tho request for tho transfer of tho hospital vote of £1000 to tho purpose of erecting an old men's home, but it was too much to expect that another £1000 should be added. There was no precedent for the Government contributing tho whole of the funds for such a work, but the £1000 ought to be enough to make the project feasible, and lie would bo glad to help thorn all ho could in that direction. He did not think there was much chance of increasing the vote. Applications for grants had been coming in in terrible numbers, and it was impossible find money for them all. Ho thought it would be a reasonable thing to make tho £1000 available for tho purpose of erecting the home.