£35,000 BEQUEST

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 200, 21 May 1931, Page 8

£35,000 BEQUEST

Hastings Hospital

QUAKE VICTIM’S WILL

Miss Henrietta Lavinia Kelly

KILLED IN MASONIC HOTEL Dominion Special Service. Hastings, May 20. A sum estimated at about £35,000 has been bequeathed to the Hastings War Memorial Hospital under the will of Miss Henrietta Lavinia • Kelly, who was killed in the Masonic Hotel, Napier, by the earthquake of February 3. Tlie trustees are directed under the terms of the bequest to pay the money to the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board to be applied toward any such, purpose as rebuilding, building additions to the present block, in maintaining the hospital, “or in any other manner for the benefit of the hospital.” These provisions leave the board a fairly wide discretion in the disposal of the money, though there is a definite ptoviso that the bequest is for the benefit of the Hastings Hospital. The bequest is invested in first mortgage on freehold securities, yielding interest between 6 per cent, and 61. When the legal preliminaries are completed and the executors are in a position to proceed with the administration of the estate the value of the bequest will be more exactly ascertained. Miss Kelly’s body was not recovered from the Masonic Hotel, and it was necessary before probate could be granted that proper legal application be made for leave to presume death. Deceased had lived in this district for about 50 years.

The Memorial Hospital was built at a cost between £28,000 and £30,000, of which amount £18,579 was raised by public subscription. Tlie hospital has thus benefited to the extent of over £53.000 as a result of private gifts. The Government granted £9OOO by way of subsidy. Mr. C. O. Morse, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board, was asked the following questions and gave the following answers :—

“Will the bequest in any way affect the board's future policy in regard to the Hastings Memorial Hospital?”—“l am not giving any information till we know definitely that tlie money is available.”

“Will the bequest affect the board’s policy in connection with the choosing of a site for tlie future base hospital?” —“No; not for one moment is it likely to affect the question of the base hospital.”

BATTLE OF THE SITES

Special Meeting to Decide

Dominion Special Service.

Hustings, May 20.

A conference held at Napier to-day between Dr. M. H. Watt, DirectorGeneral of Health. Dr. R. A. Shore, of the Health Department, and members of the hospital board for the purpose of discussing tlie future policy for the provision of adequate hospital facilities for Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Watt produced tentative plans for a self-contained hospital on a site yet to be decided upon. To decide the question whether the site be in Hastings or Napier it was agreed to call a special meeting.