N.Z. MEMORIAL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11124, 6 February 1930, Page 3

N.Z. MEMORIAL

[.I'HWOX MENTAL -HOSPITAL. U-VfEHNATtOXAL.) APPEAL 1 Oil io'-CO LAIXCIIEI). (Special to the Times.) .A-icKi.A.\ jJ, lea. 5. An appeal for' LAUth) to providt a .New Zealand memorial tula at the Lebanon lnternatioiiAl Menial Hospital at Asfuriyel), near Beirut. Syria, has been launched b\ -N e Zealand supporters and symputhisers. 'the fund was officially opened at a meeting in the Chamber of Commerce Inst evening, presided over by Mr. J. Knight, when a cheque * for CoJ and a number ot smaller cheques were reeciyed. the hospital, which is situated on the olive-fringed slopes ;of Lebanon, was founded by a group of enthusiasts in Great Britain in 1810 and established in PJUbt '1 he then only hospital for the treatment of nervous disorders between Constantinople and Cairo its doors were opened to rich aril poor people alike ol all races, creeds, denominations and pverv status in- life. 'I lie institution which includes British. American. Dutch] and Swiss houses, is under British control and management. During the Great War the boson') performed excellent service and in iO-18 was able to relieve the congest;on in the military hospitals to the extent, of as many as AGO patn-uts at one time. of 'he -plondid services offered by the institution was expressed in a letter to the .Director, Dr. 11. Watson Smith, from General Allenbv, Com-mandef-iii-Chief of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. The hm-pital was a familiar landmark + o null'' -members of the Australian rial New Zealand expeditionary forces who participated in the pursuit and capture* of the Turks in Palestine. The New Zealand movement in favour of a Dominion memorial tilla originated in 19-S, when Dr. C. Assid Cnrbati, of the Toknnni Mental Hospital, Kiliikihi, had his attention drawn to the work ot the international hospital by an article in a British medical join mil. A committee was later lorn.ed and ha* been in close touch wth tie London commit-toe, which includes many well-known British doctors and mental experts. Branches il 'he n oyoinent are now being formed in Wellington and Dunedin. 'Jhe plan of the proposed New Zealand memorial villa, '.>lh'ci provides for aeoinmodntion for AO patients, was approved at the meeting last- evening. The proviso was made that if the LAOOO neces-ary to erect and equip the building uns over-subscribed the memorial features of the villa would he suitably elaborated. ft was decided to semi the first instalment of the donations to the London committee inline. 'Lately. It was considered that in view of both the urgency for tin* additional hospital accommodation at tlm hospital and of the generous response that the time was opportune to advise the 'London committee that the erection of Die vida could he proceeded with. At. present there is no Briusn memorial at .Beirut., though 1bFrench have erected one and tin* committee, hopes to see in the liem future the villa completed. The (following committee to organise the appeal throughout Non Zealand was appointed:—Bishop Glierrington. Hamilton: Dr. toi ban. Mr. .1. Knight. Auckland; Mi K. E. Alexander, Wellington: am' Dr. E. S Fossey, Christchurch. Mr. T. Watson Arthur was appoint, ed honorary auditor. Donations mnv he sent to eithei Dr. Corhan, of Kiliikihi. w Mr. Knight. Dominion Bond. Auckland.