KUMARA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 14 September 1918, Page 3

KUMARA NOTES

When interviewed or. hospital matter-/ at Hokitika by the Jocai bodies eoiicoiiieu, Hon. G. Vv'. Eur-seil made p_opG:-ak regarding tUe _ebuiiding_ of the- old p.rtum of the Weetlaiid- Hospital, which the Boaid ..oi.sitiered iugiily satisfactory. lie suggest yd also tin* i-.-i iibli.sLju* jit of a Lospiiai Mateniiiy li'o.iie ni Hokitika, as also the <ui version of .he Ross llo<pi-.:ii into a home nn- ..iiisaiiiptives. 'Further pioposals were advanced for improved medical aid hi Kumara and l.o*-*.. foe the conside-ruirm oi' the Board, the interview taking a veiy important phase. '" The Minister for Internal Affairs,' the Hon. G. \v". Russell, accompanied by his private sec .*_ tary, arrived iv Kumara on Wednesday at 2() minutes past 2, and, in the absence of the Mayor and Town Clerk, was welcomed by the Borough Council and a representative gathering of the general public. The Minister, who had been here in the 'early days, was familiar with the town and called to mind tlie names of the principal streets, and after a hearty shake hands with the assemblage, proceeded to the Old People's Home, accompanied by Mr. R slZ' Clone, one of the old trustees of the hospital. The Minister was shown through the building, and. recommended somo improvements, especially singling out the Seddon Ward for renovation.

An adjournment was then made to the Town Hall, when the Minister was iiiicrviewed with lefcrcncc to having the approach to the Teremakau Bridge completed* lie promised to .see into the matter and have it attended to at. ouee Payne \4 Gully Roaii, wliich *only required another few miles io complete, \va.s then brought forward, aud the Minister, who was sympathetic, said he certainly tkonght the road should be completed, and tic would favourably report on the matter. The Minister was then approached re the closing of the Kumara lio_pitaJ. and the • hardship' felt by the residents in having no lesident medical man. The hospital had been handed over to vue Westland ' : C.A. Board free of debt, and in addition the Borough was paying a levy of £100 a year to the Board, and received nothing in return. The doctor from liokitika had paid a flyii>-_; visit to the Old People's Home tii at morning, at a cost ot" £(.i (is, and was away again befoie the people knew that he had been here. Tlie residents vi the district wanted the Board to pay Dr. M' Brearty the sum of £100 uer. year to visit the hospital once a week aud' visit: all the patients in the Heme. In reply, the Minister recommended that a Hospital Eoaid be formed, and rit.se funds lo the amount of between £70 and 4 ISO, the same to be handed over to the W.C.A.8., who would subsidise it to the CAtt-itt. oi 2-t.s in the £. Then the Government" would .'.come m with a larger subsidy. The Government wer:: j-'oj.ig to build a large- home at Greymonth tor the accommodation of the old people. , Mi . M' Clone hero supgested that the home be made laige enough to ac-..emnu-datc all the old people in Kuluaia, and re-open the; Hosp. tal. The Minister said the difficulty was in getting the services of Medical men. There were no doctors in the country, the Government having mopped them all up for service at the front. lie knt-.v of places in New Zealand where liiey were offering as much as '£1t.30 » yenr for a doctor and could no-: get .i>no...This concluded the.'business, and a' ...early' vote' of thanks was accorded the- Minister "for the very patient hearing he had 'given to the various mat't-ia's brcughi before him. The Minister then left for liokitika. The j uner:. 1 of the late Patrick Kiely took pluce last Tuesday forenoon and was attended by a large concourse of morr.ers. The Rev. Favher O 'Hare' officiated at the graveside. Another resident of Kumara, Mr. W. Smith, bootmaker,, has taken his departuie from the town. It is Mr. Smith 's intention for the future to make Greymouth his place of abode. The 3r.an-_.gem ent of the flax mill are just now busy putting in a branch line of pipes from the break in the main pipe line to the mill." When completed, the -mill, which engages the services of a largo iM:mber of employees, will be able to resume c relations. Another old pioneer of the Coast has passed to his rest in the person of Mr. J. Lincoln, whose death took place at the Old People's Homo on Thuisday morning, lie-*: eased, who had attained the ripe old age of 90 years, came to the West Coast. 51 years ago, and followed mining pursvits until advancing years compelled him to retire from active life. A quiet innoffensive man, dedTcascd was beloved bj r all with whom he came in contact. The funeral took place on Friday afternoon.