SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL IN MALTA

Evening Star, Issue 25717, 14 February 1946, Page 9

SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL IN MALTA

N.Z. GIFT TO ENDOW BED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. ,13. The Cabinet has made a grant of £I,OOO to endow a bed in the King George V. Hospital for merchant seamen at Malta, in memory of the courage of the people of Malta and the New Zealanders buried on the island. This announcement was made by the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Nash, at a reception given by the Government to-day in honour of Lieutenant-general Sir William Dobbie, G.C.M.G., K.C.8., D. 5.0., who was Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief at Malta during the siege, and Lady Dobbie. The history of the hospital, which was destroyed . by bombs and is now being rebuilt, was given by General Dobbie, who, in his capacity as vice-president of .the hospitaltrust, expressed high appreciation of the gift. Extending a welcome to Sir William and Lady Dobbie, Mr Nash referred to the profound respect everyone had for what they did at Malta. When in London in June, July, and August, 1942, he was invited to attend meetings of the British War Cabinet, and at one of them Sir Dudley Pound had explained the arrangements for geting a convoy through to Malta. Mr Nash said he was proud that seven of the 14 ships to be protected were New Zealand ships. On the evidence of Sir Dudley Pound, half of the ships could not get through, but if half did reach the island, then Malta was

saved. Mr Nash said that a short time ago the Government heard, that the Malta Hospital had been destroyed, and was asked.if it would like to contribute to its'rebuilding; in view of New Zealand's association with- the-island-—an association which went'back to the last war. Seventy-one New. ''Zealand soldiers were buried on., the island, and the Cabinet decided ihat" it would endow a bed in the hospital, to be called the i" New Zealand bedj" and voted £I,OOO for that purpose m the name of New Zealand, in memory of the courage of the people of Malta and of the New Zealanders whose bones lay on the island. .■'•'• Appreciation of the_ hospitality they had received since their arrival in New Zealand was expressed by Sir William' on behalf of himself and his wife. He said the generous gift announced by Mr Nash would be greatly appreciated by the people of Malta.