MUNIFICENT GIFTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20744, 11 December 1930, Page 14

MUNIFICENT GIFTS.

INSTITUTIONS AT PATEA. OPENING BY THE MINISTER. [by TELEGRAPH, own correspondent.] PATEA, "Wednesday. The official opening of new institutions made possible by the gift of the late Mr. Shaw, a former bachelor resident of Patea, was performed to-day by the Minister of Health, Hon. A. J. Stallworthy The Memorial Library and Plunket rooms, including the nurses' residential suite, is a handsome building designed by Messrs. Gummer and Ford, of Auckland, the Borough Council giving a perpetual lease of the ground at a peppercorn rental to the Plunket Society. The new children's ward at the public hospital, built out of the bequest and subsidy, is a fine addition to the hospital.

An investment for maintenance purposes for the public domain, with all sports facilities, rounds off the comprehensive character of the bequest.

The Minister said the voluntary gifts of the cheerful giver were more to be desired than the exactions from grudging taxpayers. It was sound general and local government policy to relieve both industry and philanthropic effort as far as possible of taxation. There could bo no doubt that the too heavy burden of general taxation and local rating was inimical to the social and cultural side of community life as it was to industry and commerce.

Other new buildings opened were the new courthouse and the school dental clinic.