FEEDING A HUGE FAMILY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21090, 15 February 1934, Page 10

FEEDING A HUGE FAMILY

—■♦ SUPPLIES FOR CANTERBURY HOSPITALS GREAT QUANTITIES REQUIRED With the approach of a new financial year the North Canterbury Hospital Board is once again considering the immense problem of feeding its patients and staff, to the number of 1400 or 1500 persons, for another 12 months. Tenders for the supply of stores for the year arc now being called for, not only for the Christchurch Hospital but also for the 23 other hospitals and institutions within the board's district and for the supply of benevolent relief which is conducted by the board. The board's storekeeper, Mr Andrew Russell, has the task of supervising the issue of all supplies with the exception of such perishable goods as bread, milk, and cream, which are bought locally in the country districts. To the city institutions these goods are supplied directly by the contractor who supplies the main hospital. The magnitude of the storekeeper's task is shown by the huge amounts of food which were issued from the store during the 12 months ending in December last. Also, not only were the staff and patients fed but their thirsts were catered for, apparently not unsatisfactorily since 310,712 pints of milk and 2637 pints of cream were drunk in the main hospital and nurses' home alone. Beer and Brandy For what is sometimes regarded as more serious drinking 113 bottles uf beer and stout were supplied, 13 gallons of brandy and seven gallons of whisky, port and sherry were supplied to the various hospitals and institutions. On occasions when alcohol was unsuitable a total of 1530 bottles of aerated waters were consumed.

There is a story of a yachtsman or a fisherman who went on an expedition armed with a case of whisky and a loaf of bread and who was asked why lie had bothered to take so much bread. Such a question could not be asked of the hospital authorities, since in the main hospital and nurses' home alone 57,G35 4-lb loaves were eaten during Ihe year, spread with 71,1)23113 of butter. Forty Tons of Meat Most impressive of all are the quantities of meat, in its various lorms, which was consumed by the nurses and patients at the main hospital during the year. Altogether nearly UO.OUOlb—aDout 40 tons of mutton, lamb, beef, pork, sausages, liver, brains, sweetbreads, steak, and corned beef were handed out by the storekeeper and his nine assistants. Many a housewife would pale at the thought of feeding so immense a family, but Mr Russell thinks little of feeding a thousand persons a day. Moreover, this total does not include such trifles at 301 dozen saveloys, 107 dozen kidneys, l'J5 ox and sheep tongues, and 14 ox tails. Tenders for the supply of stores for the coming year will close on February 23. Tncy will then be examined by the finance committee of the board and finally passed by the board at its next meeting on February 28. This leaves a full month for the successful tenderers to arrange their supplies, no easy matter when such enormous quantities of fresh goods have to be provided. Quality of Supplies The secretary to the board, Mr W. S. Wharton, stated that the board always reserved the right to cancel a contract if it appeared that the supplies were unsatisfactory. The result was that the goods supplied to the stall' and patients of the board's institutions were the best obtainable, and in quality were equal to anything which could be found in any home in Canterbury. Moreover, the board also reserved the right to cancel a contract if at any time there seemed to be a likelihood of a contractor being unable to keep up a regular supph' of goods. This ws's an essential point in all the contracts, since it would be disastrous if the supply of some important food failed without warning.

DOCTOR FOR POLAR EXPEDITION ♦_ DISCOVERY 11. AIMMVKK AT DINEDIN ii'r:.:.;:s association •ir.i.n.riAM.) DUNEDIN. February 14. The Royal research ship Discovery 11. arrived at Dunedin this evening from Auckland. The vessel will transport Dr. L. 11. Potaka, of Nelson, to Little America to take the place of Dr. G. Shirey. It is expected that the Discovery 11. will sail to-morrow morning. The Bear of Oakland will come north from the Bay of Whales and the transhipment of Dr. Potaka and of supplies will take place at sea. The Discovery 11. will return to Port Chalmers with Dr. Shirey, and after refuelling she will return to the ice edge, calling at the Antipodes Islands en route to search for some sign of the missing Wellington yacht Windward, which has been lost since January, 1931.