CROMWELL DISTRICT HOSPITAL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 227, 17 March 1874, Page 5

CROMWELL DISTRICT HOSPITAL.

A public meeting was held in the Schoolroom on Saturday evening, 14th instant, to further ventilate the question of the establishment of a Hospital for the district. There was a very good muster of people from various parts of the district, the Kawarau Gorge being very well represented. There was the usual fencing amongst various i gentlemen who were proposed for the honour j of the chair, but at last Mr William Grant was induced to occupy it. He then stated the object of the meeting, dilating upon the importance of it, and urging those assembled to give it the best support their means would allow them to do. The minutes of the preliminary meeting held at Goodger’s Hotel were then read for the information of those who had not been present at it, and Mr Goodger was called upon to give any further information in reference to the support which had been promised to the establishment of a Hospital. Mr Goodger shortly stated to the meeting the preliminary steps which had been taken, and the success that had attended them ; and said that from the result which he had to lay before them to-night, he thought he was justified in saying that there would be no difficulty in raising the sum of £IOOO to go towards the erection of a building. If, as they had every reason ter expect and believe, the Government would supplement their efforts by the usual subsidy to Hospitals, it would easily be seen that they were, or rather would be, in a position very shortly to go on with the erection of the necessary buildings. Mr Goodger then went on to mention the various sites which could be had for such buildings, which were excellently adapted for such a purpose. He also said that the various water-race owners had promised, if necessary, to give supplies of water free of charge, if the buildings should be erected. He then laid on the table the subscriptionlists which had come in since the preliminary meeting was held, stating that a large number of lists could not possibly, in the ordinary course of things, be returned. The amounts were found to be: G. W. Goodger’s list, £174 19s ; T, Tait’s, £l2 ; T. Gorman’s, £25 12s, —making, with the £282 17s. subscribed at preliminary meeting, £505 Bs. The announcement of this total gave great satisfaction. The member for the district, in reply to a question, said that he did not anticipate the slightest difficulty in obtaining the usual Government subsidy on the amount which might be raised in the district. It was then proposed, seconded, and carried unanimously, that the proceedings at the preliminary meeting held on the 3rd instant be approved of, and the minutes confirmed. It was also proposed that the Provisional Committee appointed at the preliminary meeting be now held to have resigned, a vote of thanks being accorded to them for their services. It was then resolved to appoint a Committee of twelve (six to form a quorum), to carry out the idea of establishing a District Hospital; the Committee having power to add to their number from the outlying districts. The following gentlemen were then appointed a Committee ;—Messrs Goodger^

Arndt, Gudgeon, Logan, Taylor, Marsh, Starkey, Scott, Dawkins, Jolly, Johnson, and Kidd. A suggestion was then thrown out that the Committee should engage a permanent Secretary, who should be remunerated for las services, as the work was evidently more than an Hon. Secretary could be expected to attend to. The suggestion met with the approval of the meeting. It was then proposed, and cawied, that the first meeting of Committee take place on Wednesday evening next, in the Council Chamber. A vote of thanks was then recorded to Messrs Goodger, Gorman, and Tait for their efforts in collecting subscriptions. A similar vote was also recorded to the Hon. Secretary, Mr 0. F. Johnson. Before the conclusion of the meeting, the Chairman, in thanking those present for tho business-like way in.which they had so far carried on the matter, expressed a hope that the newly-ele'Cted Committee might be able, when they called the public together again, to giye' as good, an account of their steward l ship as their predecessors had done. The aisual vote of thanks to the Chair Concluded th^-iheeting.