OLD MEN’S HOME.
TO BE ERECTED ON BEACH RESERVE. The question of the erection of a suitable building for an Old Men’s Home has been discussed by the Charitable Aid Board for the last two or three years ; and it was there fore only right that reference should be made to Ihe matter at last evening’s meeting, in view of the fact that it was the last meeting before the Borough eieetion. in .September last, a committee submitted ajreport suggesting that the new building for tlie Old Men’s Home should tie built upon a portion of Ihe Council reserve at the beach, and they recommended that ten acres of the Victoria township end of the cemetery site should be secured from the Council for the purpose.. In introducing the matter, Cr Jones, who referred to the long delay
that, had taken place in arriving at something of a definite nature in regard to the proposed new building. I Cr Miller sain that bo remembered having promised that he would do all he could to seo that tho old men had a proper homo, and ho thought that the Board should have moved a little quicker in this matter. Tho Board had been waiting to seo whothor tho homo should bo in town or in tho country. Ho was prepared to support a country home if he could be
shown that it would bo o benefit to tho inmates. The Board should at onco set tboir minds upon getting the homo erectod ono way or tbo other. Tho Mayor favored the home being erected on the present site. It was proposed to go to tho beach in order that tho inmatos might do a little work in the way of growing vegetables. There was not much prospect of anything being done in this direction, as most of the shrubs planted last season had proved a failure. Cr Mason : You can seo fine vegetables growing in tho Victoria township. The Mayor : Tell mo where they are and I will go and see them. It is a farco to think you are going to put theso old men there and expect them to grow vegetables. Wo ought to call for tenders for the oroction of a homo on the present site, and enter into proper arrangements for tho Board to purchase the adjoining land
from the Council. If I had had my way you would have had it there long ago. Wo set aside £SOO for the purpose, but the difficulty of the site has stood in the way of any progress being made. Cr. Mason, replying to tho Mayor, said
that as a momber of the committee he could assure the Board that it was not intended to put the homo on the reserve so that the old men might grow vegetables for disborno. In putting them on the beach they wore taking them away from the hotols, and it was a very healthy resort. The difficulty had been in regard to acquiring tho land, but this would be ac-
quired in time. Cr. Whinray : The matter might very well be left just now. The reason of the delay was the difficulty of acquiring the land.
Cr. Lysnar favored the beach site, which would not .cost more than £4O for the 10 acres. To follow out tho Mayor’s suggestion the Board would have to pay over £SOO for the land alone. In taking tho old men to the beach they were removing them from all the temptations of tho town.
The Mayor : Go on yonder barren sand hills and you will require a residence for tho caretaker, and other expenses, which will be far more costly than the present site. *
Cr Jones considered that it was inhuman to put the old men on the beach. Cr Lysnar: What about the Victoria people ? Cr Jones : You do not intend to put the old men’s home in Victoria township. You are suggesting putting them near the abattoirs and night-soil depot. It is not the propor way to treat the aged. You should treat them exactly as you would expect to be treated. We are all growing old and may bo in the same position as they are some day. Continuing, Cr Jones commented upon the unsanitary condition of the present old men’s quarters, and suggested that if tho buildiugs had not belonged to the Borough they would have been condemned long since. The lady inspector of hospitals had made two visits to Gisborne during the past two years, and had each timo been told that new build-
ings wore to be at once erected. He was sure that she would not be satisfied with the present state of things upon the occasion of her next visit.
The Mayor said that the last time Dr McGregor visited Gisborne he stated that the present old men’s home should be removed.
Cr Lysnar pointed out that the beach reserve was 60 acres in extent, and the fact of taking 10 acres near the Victoria end did not justify Councillors in saying that it was in a cemetery or night-soil depot. There would be many acres between the abattoirs, cemetery, night-soil depot, and tho old men’s home. Cr Jones : If the old mon's home is not good enough for the town it is not good enough for Victoria. Cr Lysnar : They can get on tho beach and enjoy themselves. They can sit and watch tho waves. The site is the cheapest and healthiest, and it is farthost away from the hotols. Every now and then we have to put a man out of the home on account of drink.
Cr Miller : And yet you would not vote for prohibition. (Laughter.) The Mayor: Putting the pld men down there is like putting them inside the cemetery, and I do not like the thought of it myself.
Cr Lysnar : How can you say that, Your Worship, when this reserve is over six acres in extent ?
Cr Whinray : It is merely a play on words.
Or Jones : They are closer to towi on the beach than they are at the present time. Cr Millor hoped that the Council would not adopt the report. He considered that it would be a great mistake to put the old men on the beach. He did not think that the Board should expect the inmates of the home to work. He favored the erection of the new building on the present site. Cr Kennedy said that he was attending the Board's meeting that evening for the last timo, as he did not intend to seek reelection. Ho hoped, however, that some conclusion would bo arrived at that evening in regard to the erection of the new building for the Old Men’s Home. He had about the matter over two years ago, and yet it was still hung up with the one idea of shifting the men from where they were at the present time. The matter had been threshed out upon a previous occasion, and it was recognised by the Board that the present place was not a suitable one for them. Cr Kennedy pointed out that the Committee had done excellent work, and he hoped that a suitable site would soon be obtained. The Board had upwards of £BOO in hand chiefly for the erection of the Home, and he hoped they would do their best to get something done. Tho present buildings were only fit to be pulled down. He was quite willing to accept the recommendation of the Com-
mittee. After further discussion, on the motion of Cr Whinray, seconded by Cr Hepburn, the report of the Committee was adopted, the Mayor and Crs Jones and Miller voting against it,
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Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 865, 15 April 1903, Page 3
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1,288OLD MEN’S HOME. Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 865, 15 April 1903, Page 3
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