HOSPITAL BOARD AND CAWTHRON TRUSTEES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 14 October 1922, Page 5

HOSPITAL BOARD AND CAWTHRON TRUSTEES

THE £15,000 GOVERNMENT SUBSIDYWILL BE PAID TO THE BOARD ASSURANCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER At the last meeting of the Nelson Hospital Board the Chairman (Mr Nicholson) reported that, together with Mr C. R. Fell (solicitor to the Board) he ■had gone to Wellington to interview the Attorney-General in regard to the Government subsidy of £IB,OOO on the gift of £15,000 made by the late Mr Gawthron for the purpose of erecting a new hospital. Subsequently other Ministers had been interviewed, including the Minister for Justice (Hon. E. P. Lee), who had raised the question that there had never been a commitment by the Minister of Finance on the subsidy. Eventually it was arranged that Hon. C. J. Farr should see the Finance Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) and that Messrs Nicholson and Fell should place the matter before him at a latej date. On Thursday they met the Prime Minister, who evplained the financial position of ,the_ country, but said there was no intention of the Government going back on the promise made to pay the subsidy. The Prime Minister was informed that at the earliest the {Subsidy would not be required for years, as it would take that time to expend the money the Board already had in hand. The Prime Minister said ho would give instructions to draft the necessary clauses to be embodied in a bill to protect the Gawthron Trustees and to validate the subsidy. It is expected that the clauses will he ready to submit to the Gawthron Trustees' for their approval at their next meeting on Tuesday. mjmmmmmammßßmtmmnmmmmt