The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1878.

Kumara Times, Issue 643, 19 October 1878, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1878.

'ON a lavge goldfieid where accidents kre al most'of daily occurrence, it is -ofApavaraount importance!-that an institution for the: prompt treatment of cases of this nature should, once established, receive the hearty support of all classes of the community, and thereby tend noL-ouly to * make it an institution in which the sufferings of our fellow-men may be alleviated, but also provide the necessary expenses incurred in connection therewith. Such an institution is the Kumara Hospital, established, as we . may say, when this goldfield was in its infancy," as a receiving ward for the purpose of affording temporary relief to persons unfortunately sustaining injuries, pending their removal to the district Hospitals of either Greymouth or Hokitika, since which it nas gradually developed into an institution meriting, and justly, the cordial support of every inhabitant of this district. Our remarks anent this question may appear at the first glance to many flattering and unfounded, but we say, and say it without fear of contradiction, that in many now convalescent cases that have come under our notice we have been assured by patients, some of whom had received serious injuries, that they attributed their recovery to the prompt and skilful treatment they received while inmates of that institution. At the same time it is a well-known fact that the Hospital Committee labored under great disadvantages, being singularly unfortunate in th’tfir-selection of medical men j and to this circumstance alone can he fairly attribute! the meagre and insufficient support hitherto accorded our loual Hospital. The aspect of affairs is now changed, as within a few weeks the new Hospital buildings will be finished, and the services of a thoroughly competent, and, we . understand, steady medical attendant have been secured, and the only difficulty the Committee now' have to contend with is ways and means. So far the Committee have done their part, and it now rests with the public to afford that pecuniary aid by which the Committee will bo enabled to obtain the necessary appliances for the new Hospital, thereby enabliug all cases, of whatever nature, to

be dealt with in that institution. Oil to-morrow and the following Sunday an opportunity will be offered to every charitably-disposed person in this district, to contribute their mite towards so laudable an object, and we trust that the appeal made on behalf of the funds of the Kumara Hospital by collections at the various places of worship will be responded to in a manner that will clearly indicate that charity is, when in a good cause, one of the predominant virtues of the residents of this district. To a certain extent charity is a universal duty, which it is in every man’s power sometimes to practice \ since every degree of assistance given tb: another, upon proper motives, is an act of charity, and there is scarcely any man in such a state of iihpecuniosity as that he may not, on some occasions—the present for instance—benefit his fellowmen.