GREY VALLEY HOSPITAL.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 672, 10 May 1870, Page 2

GREY VALLEY HOSPITAL.

♦ (by our own reporter.) A ptiblic meeting of nr Tiers and others interested in the establishment of a Hospital in the Grey Valley was held at Creeth's Hotel, at Napoleon, on Saturday 7th inst. Mr William Baillee was called to the ohair. The Chairman said that the necessity for having a Hospital in some central position in the Grey Valley was admitted on all sides, and the only diversity of opinion which was likely to occur about the matter would be the question of the situation where the Hospital would be built. He had been given to understand that the Government would have the fixing of the site, and no doubt a suitable one would be selected. He had much pleasure in introducing Mr Davies, who attended as a deputation from the Central Committee at the Abaura to the meeting. Mr Davies said that there was no doubt they were all awars that tbe movement towards establishing a Hospital in the Grey Valley was initiated at a, public meeting which was held at the Ahaura some two months ago, on which occasion the Warden, Mr Whitefoord, was in the chair. Mr Whitefoord promised at that time, on behalf of the Government, that a sum of money equal to L 2 for every LI subscribed by the inhabitants would be given by the Government as a subsidy towards the erection and maintenance of the Hospital. The Warden also said that the authorities would reserve the right to select the site on which the building would be erected to themselves, and in accordance with that reservation, the Government had not yet named the place at which the Hospital would be built; but there was no doubt that if this meeting, and others whioh would be held at the different mining centres, expressed opinions as to the best situation for the institution, such recommendations would be attended to by the Government. He was not going to say anything of a disparaging nature about the Greymouth Hospital, for lie considered it was an admirably conducted and efficient charity as far as its capabilities went, but it did not meet the requirements of the population of the Grey Valley, and especially of the people in the upper portion of it, for from various causes, such as bad weather and the uncertainty of obtaining a means of transit for sick people to Greymouth, patients suffering from the effects of accident or disease, very often had their complaints aggravated, and in instances which could be adduced, actually died during or from the effects of the journey to the Hospital. The speaker then went into statistics to show that the greater portion of the income of the Greymouth Hospital was derived from the up-river diggings, while out of an average of 37 patients in the Hospital, 17 were sent from Greymouth and the districts south of it; while those districts only contributed about half as much money towards the support of this institution as was contributed by the Nelson Government, and collected from the miners, storekeepers and farmers in the Grey Valley. Referring again to the site fortheHospital, thespeaker hoped that the paltry and despicable jealousy which it could not be denied did exist between the residents of this place and the Ahaura would not be allowed to interfere with the success of a movement which was good and charitable in itself, and was essentially for the benefit of our suffering fellow-crea-tures. The Government would have the selection of the site, and he was inclined to think, although he did not speak with authority, that the delay in choosing one was caused by the press of public business which occupied the attention of the Government during the sitting of the Provincial Council. Mr Kynnersley being now de facto Chief Commissioner of the South West Gold Fields, the Government were probably waiting until that gentleman had assumed his duties, and the selection of the site would in all probability be left to him. At a meeting of tae Ahaura Committee, which had been held recently, it had been resolved that the several mining districts should be canvassed for subscriptions, and that local committees should be formed in those districts, and it was for the formation of one of these committees that the meeting had been called at Napoleon. Great stress had been laid on the fact that because this movement had originated at the Ahaura that it was merely a scheme to specially benefit that place at the expense of the rest of the district, but he could assure the meeting that such was not the case, and he would be the last to lend himself to such an unjust proceeding. There was no eligible site in the neighborhood of the Ahaura, and he would venture to assert that if the subscribers to the fund who resided at the Abaura —a list of whose names, with donations set against them to the amount of L 157 10s—were canvassed to-morrow not one of them would be found to recommend the Ahaura as a suitable position for a Hospital. The Totara Flat.had been mentioned, but it was thought that that place was too far out of the reach of miners at Nelson Creek, Red Jack's, No Town, &c., and as it was imperatively necessary that the Hospital must-be built in such a position so that M will be easy of access from all those^ places, it was considered that the Totara Flat was not an eligible site. Of course, as he said before, this was a matter for the Government to deal with, but, speaking personally, he was of opinion that some place in the neighborhood of Camptown would be tbe most suitable position. He trusted tbe miners would think seriously over the proposition for founding a noble institution, which would moreover be for their especial benefit, and he further trusted that they would give an earnest and consistent support to a movement which had for its object the development, in a practical manner, of one of tbe greatest attributes of our nature, viz., the endeavour to alleviate the sufferings of our fellow men. Mr Davies resumed his seat amid loud applause. Mr Edward Hopkins complimented Mr Davies on the able manner in which he had laid the project before the meeting, and he had much pleasure in proposing the first resolution: —"That it is desirable that a District Hospital for the Grey Valley be established in some central position." Seconded by Mr Thomas Weir and carried unanimously. Mr J. Creed moved the next resolution,—" That a Committee be formed for the purpose of carrying out the object of this meeting, such committee to consist of Messrs John Torrens, James M'Laughlin,

Patrick Toner, Edward Hopkins, Thomas Weir, Stephen Camaletto, Alex. M'Leod, James Magoffin, Michael Fox (Fox and O'Neill), William Baillie, and the mover, with power to add to their number, five to form a quornm." Seconded by Mr Toner, and carried unanimously. Mr Davies proposed, and Mr Liston seconded, a vote of thanks to the Chairman. Mr Baillie returned thanks, and the meeting then passed a vote of thanks to Mr Davies, which was moved by the Chairman, for the trouble he (Mr Davies) had taken in coming before them to explain the objects Of the proposed new Hospital, and for tbe earnestness and zeal: with which he had taken the matter up. The meeting, which was one of the largest ever held at Napoleon, then separated.