HOME FOR THE AGED NEEDY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7708, 16 February 1886, Page 2

HOME FOR THE AGED NEEDY.

A. SITE GRANTED BY GOVERNMENT. A meeting of subscribers was held at the City Council Chambers yesterday afternoon. Present—The Mayor, Rev W. C. Oliver, Rev H. Van Stavereu, Messrs H. S. Wardell, C. P. Powles, S. Danks, J, B. Smith, C, D. Barrand, B. Smith, J. E. Nathan, T. McKenzie. On the motion of Mr Powles, Mr Wardell was voted to the chair. The Chairman explained that the meeting had been called to consider the proposal made by the Government with respect to a site. Negotiations had been carried on for a long time, and the Committee bad app’ied for a portion of the Hospital Reserve, and had submitted a plan prepared by Mr Dudley, late steward of the Hospital. The matter bad been duly considered by the Government, and the following communication had been received from them '“ Referring to previous correspondence respecting a site for a Home for the Aged Needy, I have the honor to inform you that an area of 5 acres and 14 perches has been selected and surveyed for this purpose. This area is a portion of the land on which the Lunatic Asylum and Hospital stand, and being part of a public reserve it cannot be dealt with except by an Act of the General Assembly. No further action can, therefore, be taken until Parliament meets, but in the meantime it would be desirable that information should be furnished to the Government as to the names of the persons in whom it is proposed to vest the land, and as to the trusts or objects for which the grant is to made.’ On receipt of that letter, Mr powles had written asking if the site was the one applied for, and had received the following reply : “I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of January 15, inquiring whether the site proposed to be granted to the Society for Home for Aged and Needy is the one applied for by the Committee, and requesting to be furnished w|th a plap of the land propQ?ed to be granted. M Mr Nathan asked if the s|te granted was considered a desirable one ?

Mr Powlrs replied th»t it waa. He and Mr Gaby, Mr McKenzie, and others had inspected it before it waa applied for, and it waa considered in every way suitable. The Mayor, who stated that at the meeting of the Committee last Friday it had been agreed to recommend the acceptance of the offer made by the Government, moved to that effect.

Rev Mr Oliver seconded the motion, which was carried.

Mr Nathan asked if subscribers bad been notified of the meeting. Mr Powlea replied that the advertisement in the newspapers was the only notification. Mr Nathan considered It undesirable that trustees should be appointed till they had a fuller meeting. The Chairman agreed with that view. The efforts of the Committee had been very much checked by the fact that hitherto they had no site for a Home, and many who bad been a*' earl 7 Btart of tbe move * meet bad refused to untilJhe question qf 'the oIjS tad been settled. uu« that ■ tiioy Bed ‘•gst %■ i4fo, 5? gf reason way the campaign ahqnln, cog tJs3 reopened, Ho was' of opinion-'that 'the original idef should b e adhered that they shopld hi>ye £2OOO in band, aqd Btofp)ses of at Ipast £2OO a ypir frPH> subscribers, before they proceeded further. In reply to the Chairman, Ifr Powips said he could not givg a correct idea aa to the Croounta promised, as all the lists bad cot been forwarded to him, Tho Mayor said they could depend on the £2OOO for the bnildiog. One gentleman had promised £IOOO ; Mr l.evia, £250; and Mr Fisher, £IOO. Tbeao promises still l»ela good,

Mr Nathan au"g sttd that frc«h lists should be issued, with tbe names of contributors at the top. The Chairman said that daily experience had convinced himself aad others that tht-re was great necessity b>r giving effect to the objects for which the Society had been formed. Several gentlemen who had signified their intention of contributing to the building fund did not desire to have their names published —such as the donor of the £IOOO and Mr Levin—and perhaps others would be of the same opinion.

The Mayor remarked that it was well known that Mr Levin had promised to give the money.

Mr Nathan said that people, as a rule, liked to be associated with movements which were likely to be successful. When the Bill was before the House for vesting the laud in trustees there would be no difficulty in getting the money. It could not, however, be too often made known that such an institution was absolutely necessary, and the Chairman was well qualified to form the opinion he bad expressed that day. Mr B. Smith said he was afraid the list of contributors would be considerably shortened if the institution was to be only for the relief of the old men who were now relieved by the Benevolent Society, and those who from time to time were discharged frum the Hospital.

Mr Nathan considered it desirable that the institution should be an independent one, and entirely free frem the Charitable Aid Board. Subscribers should make their own rules and regulations. The Chairman : Quite so.

Mr J. E. Smith considered that it would have an important bearing on the subscriptions as to whether the institution should be incorporated or not. The Chairman thought it would be better to leave that to a full meeting of subscribers.

Rev Van Staveren agreed with Mr Nathan that it was undesirable the institution should have anything to do with the Government or Charitable Aid Board. After some conversational discussion, it was generally agreed that the matter should be left over till the £2OOO for the building was collected. and £2OO per annum promised as subscriptions.