HOSPITAL SHIPS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11509, 4 October 1915, Page 8

HOSPITAL SHIPS.

STATEMENT BY THE GO ERN3R In order to clear away any misapprehension ou tho part of the public with reference to tho equipment of the New Zealand hospital ships Maheno and Marama, his Excellency the Governor accorded an interview to tho Wellington "Post" on Saturday. It was gathered that his Excellency tie- j fines as equipment of the ships such j articles a3 bedding, night clothes, towels, rugs, hot-water bottles, and so on—a long list of which has already appeared. F-ttings he considers should be laundry plant, bedsteads, and so on. In short, he takers the hospital sbip as an unfurnished house, with its ' usual appurtenances, such as dro sers j and shelves, and he thinks the public . would be pleased to furnish the sh.ps. Of the willingness and cheerfulness ot i the people in undertaking this work j he has had abundant proof in both money and goods. His Excellency is anxious that there should be no relaxation of effort to supply the articles called for. They will be wanted. As for money, while he would not refuso , any sum, large or small, given for tho | express purpose of outfitting the hos- j pital ships, ho sees no reason for an appeal to the public ioi more money i for this purpose. I From the Maheno fund there was a j balance of £35,000. Or this £IO.OOO j was sent to the Mount Felix Hospital, where tho money v.'.is at the time j sorely ueeded to provide for New Zea- j land wounded. There was an urgent call, too, from Cairo for £ISOO, where j the wounded were flowing iu thick and j fast; and £SOO was required for Treutharn in a time of need for comforts lor the sick there. This accounted for £12.000, leaving a balance of £23,000. At a conference) held at Cavernuieni; House, at which Government, rmhtary i and civic representatives were present, ' (the Mayors of Auckland, Wellington, I Christchurch and Dunedin representing ' the pub!ie') ; it. was urged that if the I £12,000 already referred to could _bo made good it would place both hospital sh'ps upon a perfectly sound financial basis, pi'ov ding <or the- equipment ov i the new ship, the Mnrama, /and reconditioning both her' and tho Maheno. j This was done in order to avo'd niaki ! ing another appeal to the public. | | "I think we all recognise." his Ex- ! ! celleney continued, "that the people j had done spTond.dly. and could be re- | i lied upon to do their utmost; but if j we could do without appealing to them for money we should not ask them for any more until the need actually arises—and I' sinoeroly hope it wiU not." The four Mayors agreed to supply from their funds the £12.000 already mentioned and apportioned among them tho amounts they would be required to furnish. His Excellency rel> eeived. .£-1000 from Auckland (its quota) on Friday, and ha.s been advised that the Otago £2500 will be forthcoming. With the remaining apportionments in hand there will be sufficient to do all that is required. There was £BOOO in hand for reconditioning both ships, which with the Auckland and Otago quotas totalled - £11,500. The balance or tho quotasthp monev v/as in sight-—would bring the total"sum up to £20,000.. which should bo sulfiment money without appealing to the peoplo W more. When the mentis in s glit :-:v exhfiii ted would lie* nme to do (inn*. Ihii for th" £12.000 a'ready _ di:-po> ; vl of. and before a second Jiospita! ship was thought nere.-sxry, his Excellency sr- : he would not have require,j a pen Hi".