James Powell Rest Home opened

WEATHER conditions on Saturday morning were not too promising for the success of the function attending the opening of the James Powell Rest Home at Warrington that afternoon, but as the day advanced, the lowering clouds were dissipated, and a fine afternoon succeeded the rain of the morning. There was, accordingly, a large attendance at the rest home, including numerous residents of Waitati and Warrington, “weekenders”, and a fairly strong contingent from Dunedin. The opening was performed by Sir George Fenwick,

who said that the Patients’ and Prisoners’ Aid Society had for many years been looking forward to the time when they would be able to provide a rest home for people who were in need of it. The project was made possible by the generosity of Mr James Powell, a Westport merchant, who had been a resident of Dunedin for several years in the stirring goldfield days, and had never forgotten the place or its institutions, and among latter was the Patients’ and Prisoners’ Aid Society. When Mr Powell died a little over a year ago he had left £3000 to the society and this formed the basis of the funds for the erection of the home named after him.

Westralia, bound for Melbourne via the Bluff, left the Birch Street Wharf about 10 and was taking the channel off Black Point when the Harbour Board’s launch, in charge of an employee named McKenzie, the only person on board, attempted to cross ahead of the approaching steamer. The launch was proceeding from Portobello to Dunedin. The Westralia was steaming faster than she seemed to be. The launch crashed against the steamer’s bows and narrowly escaped being cut in halves.