LANSDOWNE NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 8940, 14 December 1907, Page 5

LANSDOWNE NOTES.

(Special to Daily Times.)

At last, after long waiting the Masterton Hospital is an accomplished fact, and great praise is due to all those who were connected with the erection of the institution, and another chapter is added to the history of Mas - tertou. Lookiug from the new Hospital the view in every direction is unsurpassed, and has a much more cheerful outlook thau the old Hospital, surrouuded with high trees. Inside the building one is struck with the appearance of comfort and the up-to-date fixtures. No. 1 ward, with twelve beds, faces an easterly direction, and will have the early moruiug sun. The operating room, with cement flooring, is unfurnished. The takings at the opening on Thursday were for this object. Fifteen pounds taken at the gate in shillings, with the Government subsidy will be £33, and will go a good way towards this object. The dining room table was beautifully decorated by Mrs Hosking, the design was the red cross drape over white, and red aud white flowers to match, which was very effective. The lady assistants wore the red cross, aud the nurses looked charming in their regulation uniforms. The Hospital lights shone out with great brilliancy, and from the Lausdowue-road looked like an illumination. The music could be distinctly heard from Adams Ville, aud so still was the night that some words of the songs could be distinctly heard. The weather during the day was all that could be desired, and the night was perfect. The Gipsy fortune teller did good business; as also the cabs, which were kept going conveying people from the town to the Hospital.

To-day the pupils at Cheltenham House broke up for the Christmas holidays, and went merrily away to their several destinations.

During the last week two new families have come to reside at Lausdowne. This attractive suburb is becoming

more important every clay, the fame of its fine air having even reached Wellington, for I hear that more than one family from the Empire City is coming to stay here for some weeks for change of air. A white cockatoo has taken up its residence in Adams' Bush, and seems perfectly at home amongst the branches. It is feeding on matai berries.

Complaints have been made re the non-delivery of pictorial newspapers. Sometimes it is the fault of the sender, who omits to stamp the paper, or it is imperfectly addressed. Even now there are papers lying at the Masterton P.O. unstamped. In cases where papers are dispatched from here, the fault must lie at the other side. It is the custom with a number of people to send their friends picture papers, instead of Christmas cards, at this season, and it is disappointing if they do not reach their destination.

It does not appear to be generally known whether ladies are to have the privilege of using the new swimming baths when opened at Masterton. The suggestion that there should be mixed bathing would never do; the ladies would not attend. In the olden days, at the Wellington Te Aro Baths, there used to be stated hours, ladies and children going from 11a.m. to 2 p.m., and the men's and boys' hours were morning and evening. Some such arrangement as this might suit the intending bathers.