© Allied MediaOxford (and formerly Otago) university athletics star Arthur Porritt leaves St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, London with his bride Molly Bond, a few days after Porritt had competed in a combined Oxford-Cambridge team which defeated a Princeton and Cornell universities team. Photo: Otago Witness, Issue 3784, September 21 1926, Page 42 There was a large attendance of relatives and friends — a number being New Zealanders — at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, London recently on the occasion of an interesting New Zealand wedding. The bridegroom was Mr Arthur Espie Porritt, the 1923 Rhodes Scholar from the Dominion and brilliant athlete, son of Dr E.E. Porritt, of Wanganui. The bride was Miss Mary Francis Wynne Bond, niece of Mr and Mrs J Armstrong Neame, of Wanganui. By a strange coincidence, these two young people, although from the same town in the Dominion, did not know one another till they happened to meet in Switzerland one winter, and they became engaged about two years ago. Their wedding was a very quiet function. The altar was decorated with white lilies, and the ceremony was performed by the Rev J.Ll. Dove, formerly head master of Wanganui Collegiate School. The petite and dainty bride, who was given away by her uncle, Mr Neame, had a beautiful dress of the palest cream satin beaute mounted on an under-dress of blush rose crepe de chine, which imparted a soft shell-pink tint. It was a graceful, sleeveless dress, each of its several flounces being bordered with fringe of crystal beads, the centre front drapery being held by a large diamante ornament. The veil was not of the orthodox white, but was of the faintest pink tulle, draped with cream lace, and it merged into the foamy bridal train of blush-tinted tulle, which had sprays of orange flowers at the corners. The veil was arranged beneath a mitred Russian head-dress formed of minute single orange flowers and pearls. The bridal bouquet was of pink carnations and lilies of the valley. Silver shoes and silk stockings completed a charming ensemble. Shortly afterwards the bride and bridegroom left to take the 2pm Continental express for Paris. After a few days in the French capital they will go to a quiet resort on the French coast, and indulge in a restful holiday. Mr Porritt has been a strenuous worker all the time he has been at Oxford, and in addition he has been in regular training to keep up his prowess as an athlete. Hospital held in high regard Of all the beneficent institutions which are characteristic of modern civilisation perhaps none is more beneficent or more universally esteemed than the Hospital. The efficiency and progressiveness of a hospital may usually be taken as a fair reflex of the standard of intelligence and the humane sentiment of the community it serves. So it has been with the Dunedin Hospital since the very early days of settlement in Otago. Among a people noted for their public spirit and their civic pride in their institutions, the Dunedin Hospital has always stood high in the popular regard; and it has been served by a band of able and devoted men and women of whom the city has a right to be proud. On August 24, 1866, patients were first placed in the present Hospital building, which is consequently to-day celebrating its diamond jubilee. . . . over four periods The history of the management of the Dunedin Hospital falls naturally into four periods, the first from its inception in 1851 till 1875 when it was under the control of the Provincial Government, the second from 1876 to 1885 when with the abolition of the Provincial Councils it passed under the control of the central government, the third from 1886 to 1909 when it was controlled by the Dunedin Hospital Trustees, and the fourth from 1910 to the present time when it has been under the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board now known simply as the Otago Hospital Board. Though the term “charitable aid” has been omitted, the Hospital Board’s function is unchanged. Its viewpoint is necessarily that of a charitable aid authority. . . . from inception in 1851 The history of public hospitals in Dunedin actually dates back 15 years before the opening for hospital use of the present building, which is now celebrating its diamond jubilee, for it was in 1851 that Dunedin first had a hospital, in the ground now occupied by the City Council Chambers in the Octagon. In 1866, when 124 beds were occupied, the inmates were removed to the first exhibition building in King street, and it has been part of the Hospital ever since — ODT, 24.8.1926
