OUR HOSPITAL SHIP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2466, 20 May 1915, Page 7

OUR HOSPITAL SHIP

A NATIONAL FUND FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS At tho big patriotic meeting held in tho Town Hall on Tuesday ovening it was decided that tho money to bo col-lu.-ted for the uid ol wounded and maimed soldiers and their dependents should bo paid into a National Fund, and the constitution of the board of trustees proposed was file Mayors of the four centres and three other Wellington gentlemen, whom die Mayors may appoint, lo place the finances in order, the members of tho t.'xecutive committee of the Wellington Patriotio Society conferred with the Mayor at noon yesterday. There were present: The Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., Messrs. H. G. Hill, J. Lewis Collie, and M'intosh (treasurer). It was there stated that the Mayor at present had a fund, contributions to which were being paid into the Union Bank, and it' was decided tliat the money*, to be raised by the Patriotic Society through the forthcoming Queen. Carnival should, in tho meantime, bo paid "into that account at the Union Bank. His Worship wrote yesterday to the Mayors of the other centres urging them to make the effort a national one, and the fund a national one. Until ho hears from them he could not say if the proposal would bo given expression to. if it was, then some bauking arrangement would be made, whereby all moneys would be paid into a separate account at a bank to be decided upon. If this were the case the fund could be fosEered by the setting up of committees in the various towns, which would have a perfectly free hand in devising ways and means of raising money. On the other hand, if the Mayors of the other centres wished to act independently, each city or province would have to go "on its own. This was, however, very undesirable, and would possibly lead to a lot of confusion and overlapping when the time cainc to administer the funds.

Subscriptions to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund will be received by the Mayor, Mr. M'intosh (treasurer of the Patriotic Society,) or at the offices of the three daily newspapers hi Wellington, and every amount received will be duly acknowledged. A HANDSOME CIFT, The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) has received a letter from Mr. John W. Chapman, of 34 Hawker Street, Wellington, in which he offered two sections of land (Nos. 11 and 12), adjoining the railway station at Trentham, to be disposed of in any way the Mayor may think fit for the benefit of the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The Mayor expressed himself as deligl'.ted at tho generosity of ilr. Chapman, and stated that he would do his best to realise good money for. the fund with the generous gift of land.

A GREAT RESPONSE. LORD LIVERPOOL'S EXTREME GRATIFICATION. (By •••..nation.' Auckland, May 19. Speaking at a public meeting tonight, His Excellency the Governor expressed oxtranio gratification at the manner in which the people of the Dominion had received his appeal for the equipment of a hospital ship. He felt at first that the people, already supporters of so many 'funds, might feel that their generosity was being too greatly taxed, but before tho appeal had been published 24 hours he had received indications of support from all over the Dominion. He had already received a donation of £1000 from tho Union Steam Ship Company. He proposed to leave for Wellington at the earliest possible moment to devote his energies to the task of seeing that the Maheno, when she did depart, was one of the best equipped hospital ships ever dispatched. "I have not been allowed to go on active service," added His Excellency, "but in this way I will be able to do my little bit." (Applause.)

CIVIC AUTHORITIES ACTIVE. A HOSPITAL OFFERED. As it seems probable that many of the seriously wounded iu the Dardanelles campaign will be invalided home, it is urgently necessary to provide ample hospital accommodation for them. The splendid offers of private homes have stirred the hearts of the peoplo from one end of tho Dominion to the other. As a probable port of disembarkation, Wellington will have to be prepared to do her share That she is ready was made patent yesterday, when the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) announced that after communicating with members of tho City Coimcil, ho had offered to place a hospital at the disposal of the Government for the accommodation of maimed or sick troopers. That offer was communicated to the Hon. Jas. Allen (Minister of Defence), who at onco expressed his gratification at the fine spirit that was being manifested in AVellington. When consulted as to where the hospital would be located, the Mayor stated it was an open matter for suggestion. The Town Hall had been suggested by somo councillors, but he did not think it would te necessary to encroach further on that already overcrowded building, where patriotic gatherings wero continually being held. He suggested that for convenience in working in with :he General Hospital authorities, that a temporary structure could be erected on that long vacant strip of land in Riddiford Street between the main road and tho Hospital grounds. There was a considerable area of land available there, and it would not take long for the City to run up a suitable structure, one that could be readily removed when tho necessity for its existence ceasod. It was handily placed in regard to the other Hospital buildings, which wculd mean economy iu working.