CABINET GRANT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21946, 14 February 1946, Page 5

CABINET GRANT

MALTA HOSPITAL CARE OF SEAMEN WAR HEROISM RECALLED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 14. Cabinet has msde a grant of £IOOO to endow a bed in the King George 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 b.v the acting Prime Minister, Mr. __ v> - Nash, at a reception given by the Government yesterday in honour of Lieutenant - General Sir William Dobbie. G.C.M.G., K.C.8., D. 5.0., who was Governor and Commander-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 vicepresident of the hospital trust, . 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 •hat they did at Malta. Mr. Nash said that when in London in June. July, and August. 1942, he was invited to attend meetings of the British War Cabinet and that at one of them Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound had explained the arrangements for getting a convoy through to Malta. New Zealand Ships in Convoy 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 as saved. Mr. Nash said that a short time ago the Government heard flint the Malta hospital had been destroyed and was asked if it would like to contribute 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 Cabinet had decided that it would endow a bed in the hospital to be called the New Zealand bed and had voted £IO9O for that purpose in the name of New Zealand and 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 bo greatly appreciated bv the peonlc of Malta. The hospital known as King George V Hospital for Merchant Seamen was built as a memorial to the merchant seamen in +he last war and King George V was its original patron. The King was now its patron. Hospital Exposed to Bombing The hospital was built on a beautiful site for peacetime but it was not so good in wartime, for it was right in the target area. All through the war with Italv it was constantly bombed. It was hit on one or two occasions but still the work of ministering to the sick and iniured went on for the 20 months while that hospital was in use, though in the forefront of battle. In all that time not one patient had to wait five minutes for his meals. In April. 1942. the hospital was destroyed after having withstood all the vissicitudes of the war up to that time. Fortunately there was no loss of life, for the patients and hospital staff were in shelters. It was originally built with money largely subscribed in Scotland, which was again footing the bill for the rebuilding of the hospital. The endowment subscribed by the people of New Zealand and similar endowments would enable the .’•ospital to function so that patients could be treated with as little charge to themselves as possible. One could never estimate the great work of the merchant marine and had it not been for that service the island ■ould not have held out. The hospital was now bein'’ rebuilt and within two vears it would again be functioning. In the name of Ihe hospital trust he wished to thank the New Zealand Government and the people of the Dominion for +bo "fit.