THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1899.

Grey River Argus, Volume LVII, Issue 10267, 25 April 1899, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1899.

The Right Hoa Mr Seddon, P. C. will perform to-morrow one of these public functions which he has been accustomed to do since his accession to power. He will lay the foundation stone of the Victoria Hospital and the Old Man's Home, amidst all .the appreciative demonstration of which Greymouth is capable, and ifc must b e admitted that the Greymouth conmunity have in that way most re spectably distinguished themselves in the past. It will be specially agreeable to the public that in a function of such importance to the people of fchis district, and giving rise, as it does, to so m-my old and touching associations, that Mr Seddon should lay the foundation stone. The new institution will be at once an honor and a social.blessing to the district, and at the same time be a lasting memoi ial arid mark of loyalty to Her Majesty by the in habitants. It will be a lasting symbol of the effect of the Queen's Jubilee, an incident that soaroused the national se:-timent of British loyalty throughout the vast Empire. The original hospital has accomplished in the past so much that was good and desirablo to a large number of unfortunate sufferers, and the efficiency of its management has been so admirable ia every way, that its reputation could not stand higher. The gold miners of the district always dis- ! played the keenest and most laudable pride in contributing most generously towards its maintenance. In this respect few hospitals anywhere can look back on such a testimony to their usefulness. Many a poor unfortunate stranded on the road of life by accident or disease has there found always relief, and frequently a sanctuary and a refuge for the remainder of his days, though the institution was not laid out for the latter purpose. But the unfortunates of humanity could not be allowed to die by the way. The new institution will dispense it* blessings on a wider basis, being at once an hospital and an o'd men's home. Consequently the good that has been done in the past by the original institution will be greatly increased in the future, and douboless the enlarged sphere of its usefulness will be correspondingly appreciated by the i

pubHc at largo, and its maintenance as cheerfully contributed to in the future as in the past. J Mr Seddon's association with the ■ Old Age Pensions Act, has been • a good deal more than consists in the I mere authorship of the measure. It', recalls the history of the long struggle \ that took place before the Act was placed upon the Statute Book, and in the course of which Mr Seddon afforded an example of his unrivalled parliamentary debating powers. For these reasons if for no other — though many more could be mentioned'— the public will be specially delighted and feel honored by his performing the function of the day. No one knows more of the great necessity of such institutions than the Premier ; no one knows more of the hardships of the miners on the Coast for the last 30 years; and he may be expected to bear testimony iv a general way to things that have come under his wide experience in connection with hospitals and showing the necessity for old men's homos. The event will therefore be one of unusual interest to Greymouth people, and one I to be remembered ia the coming time just as "the old hands" recall all incidents in connection with, the history of the original institution. As all who will take parts in, to-morrow's function will carry away a pleasant recojlecfcion of the occasion, it is to be; hoped that the clerk of the weather will be in. his most gracious mood.