OLD PEOPLE’S HOME.

Grey River Argus, 27 May 1922, Page 5

OLD PEOPLE’S HOME.

MEETING OF DELEGATES. Last evening a meeting of delegates from the local bodies of Grey mouth and district, and interested townspeople, Jtook place in tin* Borough Council Chambers. Urgent: His Worship tin* Mayor (Mr J. I). Lynch) chair, Mr J. W. Hannan (Chairman County Council and Grey Hospital Board . Air E. Denton (Town Clerk, Greymonth), the Rev. J. Farnell, Messrs A. Naylor, Al. Keating (County Clerk), T. Clark ami J. Brisbane (Old Boys’ Association), V. Billett and Grams ((’obd<*n TownBoard), and W. IL Parfitt and J. McLea n. The Town Clerk read the circular calling the meeting. Tin' chairman said it was decided by the last meeting that this .meeting should take place a few days before tin- Hon. Mr Parr’s visit. They had also decided to adhere to the site formerly selected. lie hoped the delegates would show a united front to the Aiinister when ho came. Personally, he t hough.t £19,000 or £12,000 was more Ili n they could raise for a building. They had some experience of going in for things on too large a scale as R"wa, am! he thought it better to go into the matter of smaller wood ami iron cottages, which could be built to be very comfortable ami at a great deal less expense. He had visited Kuniara Old People’s Home recently, and was

very well impressed with the way the old people wore cal cred for there. Sooner than wait a long period to raise £12.0(H», he would favour a similar building to the Kumara Home being erected. Air Partitt stated that first they had to fight for Hie thousand pounds from the Government, in lieu of the lam! taken from them, ami then, when they got it, and bought a site, the Government claimed Whe site, ami would not give' them their money back. The excuse offered by the department, that the site was required for a nurses’ home, would not hob!, because there was plenty of room for both the nurses • ml the Old People’s Home. The Ohl Boys' Association had done good xvork already, ami if’the site was secured, they would go to work again and raise a great sum ot money towards building the home. Air Naylor asked if thu Grey Hospital Board xvas ummimous as to the site. Air Hannan stated that four-fifths ••f the members decided on the site (•iiosen. They had called applications lor sites, and three local sites were submitted, but the prices were exorbitant. The question of whether the building should be put up in wood or iron, could ’eft to the future committee. AFr Billett suggested that if the facts of the case and tlie amount of land available were made clear to the Afini. ter, he would t’aii in with their \ iews. Mr Hannan stated they had 15 acres of laml there, and That was ample for all buildings. Air Brislam* stated thu Old Boys’ Association supported the site at present chosen. Mr T. (T; rl; stated the Ohl Bovs’ Association had raised a considerable sum of money, but if the question of the site were satisfactorily settled, thev would go out ami raise a further large sum. As things were now, they could do nothing. Mr Naylor moved: That thu present site on the hospital grounds be approved.—Seconded by Mr McLean, and carried. The following delegates were appointed to lay the matter before the Alinistur: Borough Council, thu Mayor ami Or O'Brien: County Council, (Jr J. Greaney and Mr M. Keating; Cobden Town Board, .Messrs Billett and Drams; Jiuna nga Borough Council, the Alayor ami one councillor; Brunner Borough, tht* Mayor and one councillor; Harbour Board. Messrs MuLean ami D. Tennant; Ohl Boys’ Association, Captain Cox and Mr Perkins.