HOSPITAL FOR OAMARU

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25796, 17 March 1945, Page 6

HOSPITAL FOR OAMARU

PRESBYTERIAN PROPOSAL ASSURANCES OF SUPPORT A meeting of the representatives appointed by the Presbytery of Oamaru, the officers-bearers of St. Paul’s and Columba Churches, together with representatives from the Dunedin P.S.S.A. General Committee was he in Oamaru to discuss further plans for the building of a hospital for bedridden patients in Oamaru. Mr T. Somerville, convener of the General Committee, presided and in his opening remarks welcomed the representatives. Mr Somerville outlined the steps which had led up to the meeting, stressing the fact that for a considerable period the P.S.S.A. had been forced to consider the great and urgent need of bedridden men and women. Through the magnificent gift of property in Oamaru it hhd become possible for the committee to give some definite thought to the project and it welcomed the gift, which provided the first step towards the accomplishment of the idea. The committee was very conscious of the great responsibility involved and it had given thought to the greatly increased cost of building and other war-time conditions. It was, however, prepared to go forward if a reasonable amount of support was forthcoming from the North Otago district. The superintendent of the association, the Rev. A. M. Elide, elaborated the ideas held by the association and explained to the meeting the steps which had been taken, showing the preliminary sketch prepared by the architect. He 1 mentioned the support the Oamaru district had always given to the P.S.S.A. and was sure that the materialisation of such a project would mean a great deal to that community. The meeting then discussed the proposal and its ability to help. Different speakers mentioned the enthusiasm with which the project had been welcomed and were confident that when the appeal was made a generous response would be forthcoming. Consideration was also given to the nature of the building and, while it was generally agreed that priority should be given to bedridden cases, several speakers emphasised the great need for accommodation for old people still able to walk about. The hope was expressed that these two aspects could be combined in such a way as to help both cases. The Dunedin representatives undertook to proceed as quickly as possible while Oamaru representatives were elected to form a preliminary Finance Sub-committee. It was expected that the plans and specifications would be prepared at an early date in order that the work might be prosecuted with the utmost expedition. The Mayor of Oamaru, Mr J. _C. Kirkness, spoke of the satisfaction which was being felt in Oamaru in connection with the project and assured the Dunedin representatives that North Otago would be wholeheartedly behind the plan. He said that while many difficulties existed these should and would be overcome, and he was confident that when the new building was opened many people in North Otago would feel thankful and grateful for the accommodation provided. He was sure that North Otago would not in any way fail to help in this forward step being undertaken by the P.S.S.A. The whole community was behind it and would assist to the utmost.