A CHRISTMAS ROUND.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 306, 26 December 1924, Page 8

A CHRISTMAS ROUND.

HOSPITAL INSTITUTIONS. VISITED BY BOARD MEMBERS. WELL DECORATED WARDS. Before many people were up on Christmas morning," Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the Auekand Hospital Board, had arrived at the main hospital and commenced his round of visitation, to be joined a little later by Mr. W. K. Howitt, the North Shore representative, and Mr. H. A. Sotncrville, secretary of the Board. Mr. W. .1. Jordan, M.P., was also one of the visitation party who made a point of seeing every inmate of the three main institutions under the control of the Board and wishing them the compliments of the season. At the Alexandra Home for Convalescents there is always an optimistic air pervading the place, because it is there that the convalescents become strong citizens again under very ideal health-giving conditions. Early on Christmas morning the place was looking its best. A large Christmas bell hung at the entrance, and bunches of holly interwoven with choice flowers, gave the large building a most pleasing appearance. Every one of the inmates was happy and making a rapid recovery, each -telling the same story of absolute satisfaction at what was being done for them. The vegetables which were being prepared were all grown in the well-cultivated garden at the back of tbe Home, which was also inspected. In the large rooms of three beds much decoration had been carried out, and the Sister in charge was complimented on the fine appearance of the place, which showed that at the Alexandra Home all would have a merry Christmas. It did not take the party long to motor across to the Auckland Infirmary (the Costlcy Home), and never in the history of the institution had there been so much preparation for Christmas in the way of decorations. Practically all the main wards in the old Costley Home part of the institution had been elaborately decorated, the main entrance and stairway being beautifully decked out with greenery and flowers, which reflected the greatest credit on Sister Rudd and her assistant nurses, who had spared no pains to so beautifully and worthily transform the appearance of the walls. It was probably in the old ladies' wards that evidences of Christmas were most apparent, and the decorations showed that the old folks' fingers had not lost their cunning, for they had taken a big share in the transformation of the rooms into the appearance of a fairy palace. Mr. Wallace shook hands with every one, and it was his pleasure to hear from their lips, after he had wished them the compliments of the season, their gratitude for what had been done for them during recent years. They spoke of the Infirmary as being a real homo to them, their every wish was supplied, and the beßt nursing and medical attention given to them when they were ill. The oldest lady resident was 95, and the oldest man, with whom the chairman had quite a long talk, will be 100 years old on January 29. A visit paid to the dining-room and kitchen showed that tho Christmas dinne rwas to bo on the usual generous scale and that the house manager (Mr. H. Eastgate) and tho medical superintendent (Dr. MeKelvey) had left nothing undone to provide for the large number of people under their 1 * care. There are many young people in the T.B. shelters at the Infirmary and those who were able to get about had with the aid of the nurses, most artistically decorated their shelters. Santa Claus had visited them and had profusely provided them with mascots, and other useful presents. A strengthening breeze was blowing through the wide open windows and some of the patients looked so well in their airy and festive surroundings, that Mr. Wallace expressed the hope that many of them would make a speedy recovery. It was a formidable task that the members Bet themselves to visit all the institutions, and speak to all the Inmates, but there was still two hours left before one o'clock to go over the hospital, which was reached in record time. The decorations and the preparations for Christmas are always so elaborate- and so thoroughly well carried out at the public hospital, and the patients and nurses so thoroughly enter into the spirit of the festive season, that it only needs to be said that this year's display was fully in keeping with former years. No one ward was decorated similar to another, and yet each had a beauty and distinctiveness of it's own which showed the great care there had been in working out a unique colour scheme. The patients in the hospital are a great study, for they range in ages from the infant a few days old, to the old colonists of over 90 years of age, but all those who have reached beyond the a<*e of babyhood enjoy the thought, that at the Christmas time they have special privileges which enables them for a brief time, at least, to enter into the spirit of the day. The patients spoke of the great attention they had received from the medical staff, the matron Miss Taylor, Mr. Lyell the house manager, and the nurses. Christmas in the hospital they said was not a doleful time, and the nurses and sisters worked night and day to make their wards attractive and the patients happy. Never before had so many presents been received for the children in Princess Mary's Hospital and some had been given to the children in some of the poorer homes in the city, who had not so many as the children at the hospital. Bishop Averill held a service as usual in one of the wards on Christmas morning, the patients joining heartily in the singing of the Christmas hymns. A visit by Mr. Wallace to the infectious diseases wards left him little time for his own Christmas dinner before he had to show the party of Samoans, who are visiting New Zealand, over the wards of the hospital..