The Westland District Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was incorporated in the year 1885. The district under the jurisdiction of the Board extends from the Teremakau river on the north to Martin's Bay on the south, and one of the Board's duties is to provide funds for the maintainance of hospitals and benevolent institutions throughout the district. There are three hospitals and three benevolent societies; namely, at Hokitika, Kumara, and Ross, and an annual requisition is sent by the Board to the various local bodies in the district to raise necessary funds. For the year ending the 31st of March, 1905, £1610 was raised in this way, and a subsidy of pound for pound was received from the Government in addition. Of the total of £3,220, the Benevolent Societies in the three centres received about £700, and the balance was allotted to the various hospitals, with the exception of a small sum for the expenses of the Board. Members for the Board for the year 1905: Messrs J. F. Byrne, chairman; T. T. Jones, J. Mandl, T. J. McGuigan, A. Chifton, T. W. Bruce, J. Grimmond, and Dr. H. Macandrew.