NOBLE GIFT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1502, 26 July 1912, Page 2

NOBLE GIFT.

THE BUCHANAN HOME FOR, !.: 1; ~ ■£*•. \£ t nn OFFICIAL ; SOME INTERESTING SPEECHES. DETERMINED TO DO •■; , THINGS." ;■ Th£Buch£i»an. r H.pmevfpr, incirrable?;. al; ;'• Greytown, which* presented- to .. the Waivaraia Hosspitalrand'-Chnritable • Aid-Board by-W. BuchanaiC M.P., •■ was pfficially opened yesterday by the i Hon. R. H. Rhodes (Minister in Charge ; of Hospitals and Charitable Aid)". ! The i-' Hon.iP. M. B. Fisher and-tho Hon. Dr. ! Pomare also took part, itf the "ceremohy. r, Other! visitors were: 'Dr.. Valintine (In- ;' •'Pcctor-Qenernt of Hospitals), Messrs. J. ; H. Escott (member for P.nliiatua), G. R. ;-. oyses. (momber for Mastcrton), and W ,\ iNosworthy (member for Ashburton), and i. I many local bodies and other representatives- :. irouviall parts of the Walnlrapa; and : ironu.plaoes further afield. Although the I wcattjor conditions made - wayfaring un- : pleasant, the people of Greytown turned out laJnrgo numbers to witness the cereI nionyr lho state of the weather uecessi- ,.. tated..some changes-in-the— programme-! .; which had been arrnnged, but nothin" ':. in the shnpo of a hitch occurred, and f discomforts incidental to the weather were I . accepted in a., spirit .of philosophy. ( lhe*. ! visitors were.--, entertained at' ivliinchjon AFSirafipaiiHospital,JJoar*.- >,o 'speeches Tvero imadoi at this* ■ stagfwit boin£"agreMfV i hoTa tnera over tor Hie opening ceremony proper. The > proceedings outside the now building, i to a minimum, on account ; of pouring rain. ■■'. Mr.,E. G. Eton. chnirmap.,,of tho,Wai- ■ rarapa Hospital Board, described thVcir* , cumsfnnces i;nder\ which Mr.-Buchanan j had donated the cost of tho institution, ■ remarking that tho member for Wnirn- : rapa.'had come, to the rescue of the board '.: in a manner which had earned its sincere i-, ■■■gratitude. Tho finished building would i cost Upwards of j>sooo. On behalf-of his' ; boardj Mr. Eton thanked Dr. Valintine ;' ior his ni'sistanco in connection with this V instijjition, and. in connection with the ! • ■upkeep of hospitals generally. Finally, Mr. Ijton presented the Hon. R. H. ' Rhodes , opening ceremony, asking him to keep i it of a noble geritleraan. The ;• key is of silver, and its head bears upon ' one siido Mr. Rhode's monogram, and. I other inscription:- ! —'/Presented tottfie H. Rhodes, , MinijKer for Hospitals, nt th«' opening of the Bnchanaa Home," Greytowii; July 25. : I!)l2.'tj An 'adjouTument was now made to thn ' hiain'tward of tho new Home, whici was tiuickly crowded. ...-......=

i . ■■. ■ ,"■»• Message from Mr. Massey. . Mr:,; D. P. lonsby, Mayor of Grey- . town/extended.a. welcome-to the visitors, end fxpfessecfregre't' afth'e abseiiceoftliß '■' Prime-Minister, who had. forwarded-the. following telegram:— ' ' ''I regret exceedingly, that extreme pressure of business prevents my having the ' pleasure ofboing with yoiv at' the official ,' opening ceremony of t'hb Homo at Grey- ( town. I slhould like to express my high ; of . thosplendid benefaction , with V.-htch rny'old friend,'your worthy' ;'■ niember,'-liaS:endmved tho district.'- The , Home that is l)cin<r opened to-day. will.. bo i, a monument to' Mr.' Buchanan's TieneCej enco, and'.lttake th'is ,, 'oppcrtumt}y with r all of you, in thankins him for fits (rift. Kindly. anil my besl .' wishes for a very successful.function."'.'. ! A jjiunber of other "apologies were also , lend b}* ; Mr.'loa,3by; .'..v-'.". , .,.;:.'.,. , ~ I Thanking Mr.'Buchanan.fop,his,sple-n- ---] 'did:Rift,_Mr. Loasbj remarlved that ever eince the ineinßcT "for'nV"airaifapa'.lhSd' ■ toen in , the'district 'ho' Qi'dd' tried' to'do '■ nil thftriff-he'eould-itoibenefiti'the,district I and ife-pebple..ian;making"this,gift, ,he had fifio.wn. »,'njjble {cenerosity, and this wns no.t'b.v any meaiis the first occasion' 1 on wMch:'be'.hiid:dqaio:&).: ifr.'Buchanan ' had often given-pleasure to.the people7f : Jiis ■h'e'lia'd'givehv them 1 one '. disappointment. ..They had hoped to,wel- . tome'-Jiim as-'a/member of tho,Ministry, , ' V'ut W:.}his;,.atf in .so many 'other' thines, / Mr. B.uch,aiiari had elected, to'stand' aaido, : and hM'..rejected,an tione-tir to-whioh he ! v.-as j justly.-^entitled:; . Concluding, Mr. lxashyjaslrcd'his Hearers'tp express by, ;'■ ncclftjflatipji their appreciation •: of '■ Mr. i' Buchanail's : :'eift.': " ftond applause.) V ' : Chc6r.Vf6r'Mr. t ß.richynan were : givenanil 1 repeated., with heiirty "good will, e'rid-'thn ; nsseniblage ;.sattgj,''."l;'orjhe. is;arjolly good' ■ fellow." _ The ovatibp was- rehe.wcd -when J llr. 'Buchanan,'sot. : uii'..to speak. ''' ..'•■■ •

spgE'ckw'M, buphanan; , - . '.gOSPITA'LHiRTORT-AN-DA ,'■■"■■ -■' -SET-fLER'S'pirTY. ■■■■'•■• :■■-■■■ Responding/ Mr.-Buchanan'said.that a' heavy:,'task had'.been laid.upon him. It was a- difficult matter for anyone- to sit by and hear himself praised.and compli mented as Mr. loasby had' .been, good enough ;cai?eV .'HThateyer.', the merits..of v.;hat_,.hft had done might be, Ihero-'iwas-- n0,,-district'" v in':; 'which/ -the v;antsw,qf; ■humanity'-had ' been : better ministered to in. the past than the Lower Valley district.",ln. 1873 when' the ■original , hospital was crected. : in , Grey town. at a cost of. .£6OO, .'the Provincial ■ Government Made a grant of .£2OO and the Wairarapa settlors' found .the.other. ,£4OO. Tho next assistance that -.the.,settlers-jot was n grant of the magnificent.-sum df'ioO to help in the maintenance "of tho hospital. As showing the. modest footing upon which the' hospital. was ..'established the salary of tho sccretariV was .-C2O a vear. Tn 18S1 the medical.'officer was'.'fiettihg t.ho magnificent salary of JEM a"y?av. At that time the total income-'of the hospital was ,£290 a year. Of this'.£9o came from the Government, and the,other tiro-; Hiirds of the-inoome.-wasr.provided by' tho .'otllcrs. Tho.3rast(>rtpn jloswital was built also in 1873 at a cost of .£IOOO. Its Jncoinovat thn -outsat totalled- ,£4SO. of. B'hick.s.iim voluntary, local contributions •smounted \p,£M..- ' , ! , ! "''

An Interesting Comparison. The anmiaL cost■ of hospital administration..at, thafc.'.perjod..in. (i.;distrint extending 'froTn-thcManawatu-. Biver-.'.-tn -Pal-liscr-Bajvwas J3769. Of,this amount r£i§7 was'provided by .voluntary.-contributions .and "«C282-..ijv Government: subsidy.., ,Fpr' ten .Wars "ending in ;1597 TOluntarv local contributions to the Greytown Hosr.ital nmountcclto 52 per cent of: the tstaF income, taking an average of the ten .years.' The position.' to-day wa3.:.that. , :hosnital maintenance in'tire tlistrictironitheManawatu River PallisCT-Bay for .the ypor pnded. jr.BT.ch 31;' 1011,' Knioiinterl to- Mdm, Therd ■n'cro three-hospitals now to niain-tain*',"-3l4.'Ws 'riot' savins'for"a' 'lnonient that'theyhad errfd on tho.Hd».of-lJber- ; nlity towards the sick and ngod, bnt tho ratepayers .might to ask rniestions;'- It was-a good thin" to- see that.tho.*.!>,!?.. and. need, were wnll. looked. after,' but that the ratooayers worn'.spared' as fa.r ns'"possible. The hnsnitn'l expenditure for the district, in ISBI was .£769.' last £1%&.-: ...The population, in lSBl'Vas"lO,5S3. .''ln 1911;'according'to; the census.*it .was 30,341. Population lad increased threefold, while hospital expenditure had increased sixfold., Mr. TBuchanan mentioned that )\c had takeri'no occou"nt,of; charitable, aid figures.,. *""* V A Splemiid Example".^ , " ' He had said,-ho contjnnfld, , that v/Jiatevpr might-be in his merit in 'donating most of ' the cost of this home, he 'had had a splendid example -in the liberality of old . settlers- in the Greytown . district. They had the Cartertpn Homo nt Carte-r----ton, and-the Solway-Hom-e ct-Masterton. He thouzht that..they coijlcl fairlv-sar-in the 'WairarDtia that they l;tid potne? glecteit. thp.''afflicted' and' unforturiate amonsthem. -Ha tlianked thejn all for attending-'to recognise,' H3 ', thej- had so nmplr done,- nnV.tbing ne : b'itd done in the district, : A : S?tt]er's .diity, -lift'tooje-.it, was to do as rnucJi' good to bin. rioighbowrs ns ho possibly conhl.-ffe had tried, to tho best ohhis hmnble ability, to no his diit.c in that respect tihd nfter his forty years' i residence among them , it "#.i«'(i proud thins for. ■ him: ,tq stand , up . I here anil thaAk thi?'m'frorn the bottom-of his henrt. (T/i\i(( appliiiisfclV.-Bpforfr .dpneliulinjr Mr. Bnfhanim • nifnfioncd- Mint the Grcv'tfnvn Tto^piiil.-■ lini] ni ojto '-Munj- lip'mi threatefleft'-witlr ostinotinn. - The medical v nffrcer- tlien- ; in •tajjt-rol- of -hospitaia throughout New Zealand: 'twice recbtn--, mended , tW GoT,criimtnt' : (O" abolish -tie

hospital. Hβ was proud to think that as member for tho district he had been in some, degree responsible for saving the hospital at this end of tho district. Thero wcro fourteen hospitals in i\ew Zealand of tho same class av Grey town Hospital, and it canio fifth on the list. There wore nine similar hospitals with a smaller number of patients. The maintenance cost at Greytowii compared very favourably with-Mint at other similar institutions. ' THE MINISTER FOR HOSPITALS. HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROPOSALS. The Hon. R. H. Rhodes thanked Mr. Eton for the key presented to him, and »aid that ho would keep it, as requested, as α-memenfo of this noblo gift. He was ■glad.,that;"on .this—tho first, occasion, on ■.which Jie-'h'ad been called upon to net in mi official capacity—ho should find himself associated with the munificence of nn old and tried friend. Gifts like this enabled an effective reply to bo made to those who said that tho system of maintaining hospitals by Government eontributiDiis",and. subsidies tended to dry. up tho. founts of private benevolence. By his generosity, Mr. Buchanan had relieved tho Wairarnpa Bqard of a great deal of responsibility in providing such excellent accommodation for tho chronic and infirm of tho district. Hitherto these' cases .had had to bo accommodated in tho public hospital or at one- of the Wellington homes for the Teception of the aged and infirm. It had very ofton happened that neither tho hospital nor the homes referred to had been ablo i.o accommodate these cases,.and il hod gone hard with "Those who wore not'cqnsidefed eligible applicante for the. institutions referred to. However, this difficulty had how been eolved.and the Wairarapa possessed, with'out^doubf^,;tho;most modern and bestEquipped institution for the reception of .thfytyioi .and ,'niourable. cases in tho whole ■<ii the Dominion*- ■■-.-'■ '-■■ ■--. £

Private Benevolence, It was very gratifying to notice that of late years especially there had been on jappreciablo. increase, in the amounts re•ceived by hospital-authorities under the head of "voluntary contributions." It was by these gifts and assistance that the authorities felt justified in opening up new channels of philanthropic effort. As notable instances of private btnevolenco lictively displayed, the Minister mentioned"'the' Wellington Children's Hospital nnd a similar institution at Christchurch. Every year the cost oi hospitals showed an increase, and those in authority wero contont to let it grow, for this was an ngo when it was the recognised duty of -the-State to-do' all that -could'-rcasonably; bo done to promote the health and sen- 1 eral welfare of ths people. Further than this, every effort must bo made to save the life of every child born, and givo it ■ °ler-Y.I er -Y. chance to grow up a healthy and effcotivo citizen .of the Empire. Xhe jVlinister mentioned that'he had arranged -ivith .T)r. Pickerili. of Dunedin, that the four medical officers recently appointed to inspect school ' children, should undergo a brief course of training •BC-tne Otago Dental School. This would not make tho officers qualified dentists, but it would enable them to formulate a valuable report upon tho dental condi- : tipn of children in tho State schools.

- -Departmental Extensions. The Minister foreshadowed other extensions 'in the activities of the Health Department. Skilled bacteriologists should ■be appointed, he said, in each, of tho main ■ centres;- All things possible must bo dono to help .the expecting mother, either by extensions of the St. Helen's Hospitals or by- providing competent niidvivcs for work, in tho" mofb" remote parts of the Dominion. A good deal was hoped from tho recent appointment' of medical inspectors for schools. Mc-To'systematic endeavours must bo made to eopo with, consumption, which, together with its allied diseases, at present caused between six and seven hundred deaths in .the Doniiiuou anrovlly. It .was proposed, in this connection, to oall a conference of medical .officer's, whoso tinio was specially devoted to the treatment of consumption in sanatoria.,. The Minister paid a, wann tribute .'to' Mr. Buchanan,. desoribing him as a ■pioneer who-had done much to assist in. loundiug the prosperity of his country, and had iioiv capped his former deeds with a magninMnt gift. Concluding, Mr. Rhodes formerly declared tho institution open,', .;. .. . , .. Mr. J:' M. Coradine, Mayor of Masterton, extended a spocial, greeting to the Parliamentarians present, explaining that he had been set down in the original programme to propose the health, of "The New Parliament."

.■;, :; HON, F. M. B. FISHER. ", THE TRIUMPH OF EEEORMt -The Hon.<F. M. B. Fisher said that 'it. gave'him'infinite pleasure to be present to do honour to Air. Buchanan. Tliis was the first time in its history, the Minister continued, that tlio country had had a Cabinet, a majority of the members of which .were New. ■Zealand borfli-(Lour applause.) ■.The Mimstry'also'.was British'to.the'eore, and intended , to' 'encourage preference for what was British in every possible way. Ho regretted the absence of the Prime Minister; who lad' attained office after : having, 1 ..'in . Lord Rosobery's phrase,"ploughed> lonely furrow." Even in his (Mr. Fisher's) time he- had seen the big battalioh'sjon the'other side , of tke'HoUso ; buffetjnjpback the -attacks, of his leader, . tauntfifgt'lim' with ,'tho '.smallness of :his following,-.and declaring that he was obsolete. . ''.Mow Mr. vXlassey.. had triumphed over Ms-opponents after one of the mostmarvellous fights that had been seen 'in the history of British politics. Mr. Mas:sej- had^' reached the lonely. furrowj<and'had turned the T cbrnCT'. : '(Atf'opinion, .when-'Mrl .■s«s/.sey announced the policv of the Government ,jiext week,-it would be found' tfia't ho had not only turned the corner, but iad started a new furrow, 1 and a long one. (Applause!) The member for Wai■rarapa, Mr.-.Fisher continued, had been held up to detraction because Ho owned land. ; He had been called an "iron-heaTt-ed, stony-nosed (Old Conservative." (Loud laughter.).' Mr.Vßuchanan had been called one of.the tap-roots of tho old Conservative element that (fie people of the modern generation had not too" much respect for. '.At one time ho hud himself regarded Mr. Buchanan with" suspicion. He bad heard so much about the member for Wairarapa'that on first'going'into Parliament he looked at him sideways. ,Qf late- years he had got to understand and know Mr. Buchanan better, and ho believed' that' the nanie of Mr. \V. <!. Buchanan would be remembered by the .people- of this, country when the names of p'eople, who had gone round the country detracting him were forgotten. (Loud applause.) i

" ', "Government Will Do Things, The new Government, Mr. Fisher went on to' , remark, had come in determined 4o do-things.--- While the Reform-party .was in Opposition its opponents lind sons -rpaml the country labouring to instil a belief that if it came into power it would adopt reactionary tactics. The policy of the party would be announced by its leader next week; in tho' Financial Statement. "He (Mr. Fisher) ventured to say that the c'ountry wou\d find that the men who had ■bt-en kept in 'Opposition for 21 ywrs were men v/ho shonld have been Rivon a chaaico .to govern, the destinies of this country Ion? years q.»o. (Hoar, hear.) Ho did not want' his hearers to think for one moment that members of tho party were oblivious to His sacrifices that hnd bcoi mado by Mr. Buchanan in leaving Hie way clear for comparatively men like Mr. Bhodes and himself, to take places in the Ministry. (Applaime.) The spjrit of tho Defence -Act, Mr. Fisher slated, would bo administered fearlwsly and iinpartiially so lon<? as the Govcrmncnt held oifico. (Applause.) '

Whsre the Monopolists Are. They had been ■ told by men on Hie other ei.de of the Hoiree that they were of the party; that represented rested intrests and monopoly. When thevmrtycol to. business ami laid the whip ni.ong t v * telests and monopoly. When the party got en the other side of the House who would quiver, nnd not t-hoso on the Government $\de. Only thrte weeks had been trivpii to JHnistpTs to clobi- up their DejiaTth\P)\is. and prcpaK- lor what mfglit he n very.-busy hs.M»-h. lie disked tlioso \vln> Iliul boMi siijipoitprs of tin , Piirty in tin post not to'ln: too'critical in rosarii to (ho work of the so.-sion. Tin- Opposition 'wf'Ve very an.-jry at ha.vinu■romp out, nnd Hip Government wire very pleaded i\t hcivin? conns in. (r.aii.'.'lUfr.) Tliore «a:; thus a rci'y impoitant point r.f disiißrcen:ent -between them at the bcgimiinir. Given' a chunce, the Government would .short M a, equjle of mouths t.Wi jtto

light party was in power, and that the wrong party, to legislate, had gone out. A Name Embalmed. 'tiki's would bo a red-letter day in tlio lifo of the- member for Woirarapa, and he Imped that it would bo n. red-letter day to many others who worn there. 'Pho memory of Mr. Buchanan would bo preserved .for.all time in the district by tho generosity wliicli ho had shown to thfi People amongst whom he lived. Some of Sir. Buchanan's detractors—more particularly that class of people who wanted to share wealth they had done nothing to create and wanted to loam the art of living without work—would not bo alive .it all if they luid had to endure the experiences which the, menVber for Wiiivarapa had passed in the early days. Tho name of Mr. Buchanan would be embalmed in (;ho records of Wairai'apa, and of New Zealand, for nil time. (Applause.) The Hon. Dr. Potriare. The Hon. Dr. Pomare, after describing some of his early experiences in Parliament, said that ho vns pleased that they should have an institution like tho home as a monument to the hind-hearted man who had represented tho district in Parliament for so many years. He hoped that in the future the institution would be found tenanted not only by the pakeha but by tho Maori. (Hear, hear.) At the same time- he hoped that the advance of scionce would ero long make such institutions as- homes for incurables unnecessary. On behalf of his race, lie thanked Mr. Buchanan, whoso name, liko those of other men who had freely expended their wealth for the good of the public, would ever live.

PRESENTATION TO MR. BUCHANAN. AN APPRECIATIVE ADDRESS. . The last scene in the activities of the day was the presentation to Mr. Buchanan of a portrait of himself. _ It is a fulllength 6tudy in oils, painted by Mr. : A. I'enton, of Masterton, nnd is to bo hung at the new institution. The portrait was accompanied by the following address:— "Not all tho noblest fionss are. worth one noblo deed."' Testimonial. To W. C. Buchanan, Esq., M.P. Dear Sir,— We, the representatives of the local bodies of . tho Wairarapa Hospital district, desiro to take this opportunity of publicly recognising your laudable and philanthropical action in providing a Home for Incurables for the Wairarapa district, and, in the name of the wholo of the residents of the district, we offer yon' our grateful thanks for your munificent gift. Tho handsome structure officially opened this day by tho Hon. R. H. -Rhodes will, during tho years to come, afford a haven of rest,and comfort to hundreds of the afflicted poor of this district, whose grateful thanks ivill be "as tho sweet smell of incense" to the memory of tho man ivho had a thought for them in their affliction. We desire to express our sincere feelings of esteem and respect for you, and, as a small recognition of your personal worth, we beg you to accept this address and the accompanying portrait. . ■•.,.. The address is signed by Mr. B, G. Elton, chairman of tho Wairarapa Hospital Board, and by tho following members of an executive committee appointed to arrange tho presentation:—Messrs. D. P. Loasby (chairman), F. Foist, J. M. Coradine, J. B. Keith, and N. D. Bunting (secretary). Afternoon tea was served by a committee of Greytown ladies. The Ministerial party returned to town by the Napier express in the evening.