CLINIC OPENED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 126, 30 May 1944, Page 3

CLINIC OPENED

BY LADY NEWALL

RED CROSS WORKERS VISITED

Her Excellency, Lady Newall, said she was deeply impressed by the practical work being done for the needy people of Auckland, when she officially opened a clinic in Freeman's Bay this morning. The clinic represents a further step forward in the work which for some years past has been carried on in the grounds of the city destructor by the Freeman's Bay Christianity Community Service, of which the Rev. Harry Johnson is chairman.

The clinic will be used as a firstaid and dressing station for necessitous cases, and Sister Matheson, a St. John Ambulance Association nurse, will be in attendance.

Her Excellency, who was accompanied by the Mayoress, Mrs. Allum, showed great interest when told that the Rev. Mr. Johnson had in the beginning obtained from the City Council permission to use the surplus steam from the destructor furnaces to install four hot water baths in the grounds of the destructor. Over 1000 people, whose houses were in the slum areas and provided no facilities for washing, used these baths every week. An outline of this history of the work was given by Mr. C. F. Bennett, deputy-chairman of the Auckland Community Welfare Centre, in the absence of the chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum. The centre came into being, he said, by special Act of Parliament in 1941, to further the work of the Rev. Mr. Johnson's organisation. It was intended to set up a community welfare centre at a cost of £11,000, but it was found impossible to go on with the building plans, owing to the shortage of material and labour. Consequently, the temporary clinic was being provided to cater for one part of the district's needs. The clinic would be open to all needy people. Others who sooke were Mr. Johnson, Mr. Allan Moody and Mr. Victor Macky, representing the Auckland Hospital Board, which will assist in the scheme. Also present were Mr. D. F. Macky. chairman pf the St. John Ambulance Association, Mr. S. E.- Langstone, secretary-manager, Mrs. G. S. Cammell, lady superintendent of the association, and Mrs. L. Graham, superintendent of Salem House, near which the clinic is situated. Ladv Newall gave warm praise to Mr. Johnson, and all the volunteer workers. Red Cross Demonstrations Warm admiration of the work done by the Auckland Headquarters of the New Zealand Red Cross Society was expressed by Lady Newail when she inspected the various sections of the society later in the morning. Her Excellency was welcomed by the president of the society, Canon R. G. Coats, the chairman, Mr. G. T. Paterson, and the secretary, Mr. A. A. Harker.

Officers of the Red Cross Transport Corps were visited first, and Lady Newall extended congratulations and good wishes to them. Then she drove to the comforts department, now in temporary rooms where she was shown garments made both by school children and by adults to send to the British Red Cross for distressed civilians and to local homes for babies and young children. "Thev are beautifully done, her Excellency commented. Next she watched demonstrations by the surgical section, sewing section and spinning circle, and praised the work of packing up odd bottles for medicine for the troops overseas. She emphasised that she had found warm appreciation in Britain of parcels sent from New Zealand. A guard of honour of Grev Ladies and V.A.'s met her Excellency when she arrived at the Red Cross headquarters in the Mercantile Chambers, Custom Street. She was conducted to the V.A. imitation hospital ward, which was complete with V.A.'s making beds and a "demonstration" patient. . Lady Newall shook hands with the women workers in every section she visited, and congratulated them on their fine war effort. She was wearing a pale grey coat over a floral frock, grey shoes and hat , accented with red, and she carried a red handbag.