TIMELY HELP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 175, 25 July 1936, Page 11

TIMELY HELP.

FAMILY'S PLIGHT. THE HOSPITAL AUXILIARY. STREET APPEAL ON FRIDAY.

Living in one room in the heart of the city is a family of seven; the father is unable to work owing to suffering from tuberculosis, and the eldest of the five children, a pair of twins, are but three and a half years of age. The mother recently brought the children to the Auckland Hospital. The children, who were barefooted, were clad in thin cotton

frocks and were blue with the cold. Now a district nurse in trim costume uniform regularly visits the family, bringing food, clothing, bedding and other necessities of life, and radiating the sunshine of hope.

This is but one illustration of the fine work quietly carried out by the Hospital Auxiliary, which will be making a street collection appeal next Friday. The auxiliary is purely a voluntary body of Good Samaritans. It is not run by the Auckland Hospital Board, nor is it supported by any rates and taxes. The cause is therefore a particularly worthy one, and the public will be afforded an opportunity on Friday of showing its practical appreciation.

Some idea of the activities embraced by the auxiliary may be gauged from the facts that during the past twelve months (>OOO garments have been distributed, 600 families assisted, and 200 patients given tram fares. The society has also helped numerous tuberculosis patients at the Auckland Infirmary with extra nourishment and clothes, and sufferers going to sanatorium^. The auxiliary's investigation committee gives invaluable assistance in reporting cases of needy families and preventing overlapping. Much hardship has been reported where members of families are in hospital, and the husbands are on relief work or sustenance. Good work is carried out by the city sewing circle, and assistance in the form of donations and the making of garments is given by the women's institutes and other bodies. The auxiliary has also a mental hospital branch and suburban branches. The branch activities include the provision of books and magazines for patients, the upkeep of wireless in various hospitals, j and the arranging of concerts, motor I drives, and so on.