DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1938, Page 10

DOMINION NEWS

MORE BUILDING ? [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 18. The need for commodious premises for Government departments with which the general publjc largely' has business was emphasised by the Minister for Pensions (Hon. W. E. Parry) in replying to a deputation at Wellington yesterday. “There is no doubt,” he said, “that there has been overcrowding in the past in more offices of the Pensions Department than I care now to remember. Gradually we are giving pensions registrars much-needed hew offices, and when new offices cannot, be obtained, certainly extra space is being provided for the staff and the public.” It was the Government’s policy to house its departments properly. ASHBURTON RIVER. ASHBURTON, May 17 The Ashburton County Council has accepted the Government’s plan to spend £24,500 on condition that the County provides another £5,500 of the cost of the clearance of willows and other obstructions in the Ashburton River and the erection of stopbanks. • DA RG A VILLE' ’DROME. DARGAVILLE, May 18. Before leaving for Whangarei this morning, the Postmaster-General inspected the proposed site of the aerodrome, which has been surveyed and reported upon by the Public Works Department. The scheme is in two sections, and entails taking, firstly, 80 acres of land at present unoccupied, valued at about £3OO. It will give three run-offs. The second development takes an additional area of land valued at about £2OOO. This will give runways up to a thousand yards. The Minister stressed the need for boroughs such as Dargaville, of establishing aerodromes. He suggested the first step should be the formation of an Airport Board, comprising the Borough Council and the adjoining Counties. CRIPPLED CHILDREN. AUCKLAND, May 17. “I would like to see the Wilson Home for Crippled Children at Takapuna become an institution for patients from the whole of the North Island,” said the chairman of the Auckland’ Hospital Board (Rev. W. C. Wood) to-day, addressing the Provincial Federation of Women’s Institutes “My opinion is that the Wilson Home should be enlarged in scope, ’* Mr Wood said. “I believe it to bo ,«t mistake to leave it to the caie oj one hospital board.” He suggested that all North Island boards should co-operate in the management and extend the home and contribute towards its maintenance, and added that £lO,OOO was being spent on a new therapeutic department, the only one of its kind in the Dominion. “Like a birdcage full of joyous songsters,” was his description of the home. “We have received 51 children since the home was opened at the end of August, and have been able to discharge 17 of them. All have not gone out 100 per cent, recovered, hut all have materially benefited, and muscles which were paralysed have been brought back to action. The results have been wonderful. This is due to the environment, as well as treatment.”