A DREAM HOME

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1940, Page 6

A DREAM HOME

NOW HEO CROSS : HOSfIT.VI. SYDNEY, September .10; The palatial “dream home” built at Gordon, a/select Sydney suburb, by John Coolcott Forbes, the Sylney,-fin-ancier, jn the days wheq he did not have to hide from the police,, lias;been bought the .Red CVoss fpr convalescent Ijospifal. .The home;; cost. Forbes’" at least £60,000; they,|fed Cross*iSociety paid only, a, third qraount to the liquidators of one pf the Forbes companies. A request by the Defence Department that 300 beds-should; be prOyid-- - ed for convalescent soldiers ' caused Jbe/society to buy- the yjiofpe, ."which will at • first ’accommodate ' |lo patients; Extensions will enable ;it •to accommodate from 220 To 250 .patients: later. ‘ k,. ; Set in five ; acres of gardens, ; tlie tlirde-storeyed- house • has 'V3O / rboihs. There are Ifive EUxuiiOus ', bathrooms .lb; black onyx and silver pink,; blue -groeii/flnd white, tiles., Other ifittings include:: Cream tiled swirnming pfibl, 66ft. by 24ft. with purifying : ipiabt ~ and ‘underwater ballroom with orchestra dias and bar; gymnas-: . jtim, suminer’tea-house, bird sanctuary . fish pond, turf tennis court and/hurser,Y...;Soldiers; who..prefer, luxury/may descend; from .-.the by hyoad, curved. terraces:.to a/sHehm/. crossed by rustic .bridges, audwbiqh is •flanked by giant tree;ferns and.naftyb flowers. At . The svijaerint.endeut;of the •.Society,, Mr, H. L,.. Pitt/ ysafclr./the' .mansion, was ideal for .The ypprpo’se, and little alteration would, be needed .to . Turn lit ,ipto . a , I home. At present, .The ' house A' unoccupied and ~ unfurnished, yfjnd v \yas ...in charge of a caretaker... The ” furnishing,for its new character wquldrt" • be. a simple .matter.'