CONVALESCENT HOMES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2554, 31 August 1915, Page 7

CONVALESCENT HOMES

BOWLERS TO ASSIST • ■ i DEPUTATION TO: MINISTER OP HEALTH By Telegraph.—Press .Association, j, '- AU)V<ndj August 30. There is every prospect "that. tho ■ bowlers of Auckland and -possibly other. r parts of the Dominion will bear a large s proportion of the cost of the convalescent station which tho Government proposes '' to establish at Rotonia for returned soldiers. An effort is also likely to be n made to make the movement a national e one ' ' _ A deputation from the Auokland Bowl- - ing Association, consisting of the presig dent, Mr. Laurie, Mr. Coltman, and the secretary; Mr. Bryden, waited upon the !_ Minister of Public Health to ask for a definite decision as to the bowlers' offer n to furnish and equip Kilbryde, Campbell's Point, as a convalescent home. Mr. Russell expressed appreciation for ~ the offer,- but explained that he could not give a definite reply owing to the (. present uncertainty as to how many convalescent homes -would bo required. g He went on.to inform the deputation of 3 the Government's decision to establish a main convalescent centre for the Ndrth Island at Rotoinia. Could the bowlers help in connection with that institution, if they would take in hand the working of some part of that scheme, they '• would. be doing ten times more Mod 1 than in equipping a building, wnich might not be needed'.. 5 Mr. Laurie said he thought the Minis-! '• ter's suggestion was an excellent one. - The bowlers had not committed them--3 selves absolutely to the Kilbryde pro- ' posal, they wanted to do something as bowlers beyond their subscriptions to 3 patriotic funds. 'He would call a meetl ing of the association and put Mr. Rus- - sell's proposal to it, and he thought it - would be acted upon. Did he definitely j understand that the Minister would ac- ' cept money subscribed by bowlers and let i- it be utilised for convalescent purposes ' at Rotorua ? s The Minister said he would, accept ; such a fund and,. moreover, he would ■ put the .whole strength of the State's ' funds behind it, for whatever was rei quired for special -purposes. Mr. Laurie pointed _ out that the ' South Auckland Bowling Association, ■ which included Rotonia bowlers, had in--5 tended equipping convalescent homes in > the Waikato, and at Waihi; no doubt • they would be glad to divert the money ' to Rotorua, and he suggested that the • Minister should go into the matTer with 5 the bowlers at Hamilton and Rotorua. ■ , The Minister said he would do so. i It would have t'o bo understood that '> any board of management set up | should include representatives of Auck- : land bowlers, and any others subscrib- ' ing. He would see to it that if the scheme were taken up by the bowlers I of the North Island they should have 1 full recognition in the matter, and be identified with the Rotorua convalescent 1 station. He had strong hopes tliat the | bowlers of the South Island' would fol- , low'their example, in connection with the convalescent station to be established at Hanmer. In this' way several thousand pounds cdilld, he was con- ; vinced, be raised. Mr. Bryden conourred. There were, ! he said, 13,000 bowlers in tho Dominion.