CO129-476 - Acting Governor Claud Severn & Governor Sir Stubbs - 1922 [8-12] — Page 243

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would be provided from other sources but this expectation not being realised the offer was raised on July 13th to one of $1000 a month, both offers being of course conditional on the Company undertaking to maintain the hospital until facilities became available elsewhere. This offer was declined, the Company requiring a guarantee covering all expenses together with interest on capital.

5. At this juncture the Government was approached by

· Mr. J. E. Joseph of Prince's Buildings, Victoria, with an offer to purchase the property on behalf of the community. I had no hesitation in accepting this exceedingly generous offer, and Mr. Joseph has now undertaken to lease the hospital, which he acquired from the Company for e sum of $100,000, to Government at a nominal rate of A1.00 per annum. The existing staff has been retained and the management has been placed in the hands of a Committee of Doctors and others with the Principal Civil Medical Officer as Chairman and a business Secretary. The

necessary repairs estimated to cost some 15,000 will in the

first instance be paid for by the Government, and will be

repaid out of the profite, which it is anticipated will be

ample to cover this charge and all running expenses.

6.

It is proposed to return the property to

the donor to be at his disposal after the completion of the War Memorial Nursing Home and the Kodoon Hospital.

7.

I enclose a copy of a statement which was published by this Government in the local press together with an extract from the Hansard Report of the meeting of Legislat- -ive Council held on September 21st, 1922. By his generous action Mr. Joseph has performed a great service to the community. At the present moment there is not a single bed vacant in the first and second class wards of the Government Civil Hospital, while the accommodation for such patients at

the