General News

Press, Volume C, Issue 29565, 14 July 1961, Page 12

General News

Crowded Hospital Overcrowding in the Christchurch Hospital was ! becoming very serious, the acting-secretary of the North ' Canterbury Hospital Board !<Mr D. Home) said yesterday. The medical superin-tendent-in-chief (Dr. T. Morton) told a reporter that the hospital had 45 more patients than established beds, and that stretchers were up in I most of the wards. Not I only the intake of surgical ! cases had to be restricted, but some medical cases. ; mainly of patients needing nursing care, had also had to 'be refused. Asked whether the position was soon likely !to deteriorate any further. Dr. Morton said he did not see how that was possible. Birthday Kiss The co-manager of the French Rugby team, Mr Guy Basquet. was kissed on both I cheeks and bad his health ! drunk in champagne for his ! fortieth birthday yesterday —but he did not receive the ! birthday present he most wishes for. Mr Basquet, who I captained France against the ; 1945 Kiwis needed only a | reunion with the Kiwi wing. ' J. R. Sherratt. now farming ; in the Waikato, to make his ' day complete. The French manager has spoken frequently of the “grande” memory of the New Zealander in that match. He will have his birthday present delayed for two days— Mr Sherratt will meet him after the Waikato match on Saturday.—<P.A.)

Double Misfortune A double misfortune struck a Wellington resident. Mr C. J. Freeman, on Wednesday evening. Hundreds of old and valuable books were destroyed in a fire and more than £2OO worth of belongings were stolen from his house. The books, some of them more than 400 years old. were either destroyed or damaged in a basement fire about 8.30 p.m. yesterday. The valuables, an engagement ring valued' ab'out £2OO. a transistor radio and a camera, were stolen from one of the rooms not affected by the fire.— (P.A.) Order For Benniore New Zealand has ordered from a Canadian firm two 125.000 horsepower hydraulic turbines for the Benmore hydro-electric power scheme. The commercial counsellor 'Mr J. H. Stone) in the Canadian High Commission announced this yesterday.— (PA.)

6093 X-Rayed Yesterday 531 persons were X-rayed in Christchurch bv the two mobile units of the Health Department and the clinic in Manchester street. This brought the total to 6093 since the campaign began on July 3. Today the Dunedin unit will be in Colombo street near Lichfield street and operate for 12 hours, and the Christchurch unit will be at the corner of Duke and Tuam streets from 9 a.m. to 1030 am, at the corner of Lich- ! field street and Clarkson J avenue from 11 a.m. to 12 30 p.m. and in Cathedral square 'from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The plan of keeping one unit in the square from 2 p.m. to 9 pm. on Fridays will be continued until the survey ends in late October. “Deaf” Synodistfi An unusual number of , ‘'deaf' members appeared at ; the Wellington Diocesan Synod. Many of the members wore ear-pieces with cords leading to inconspicuous little boxes under their coats. But the secret came out when Bishop Baines announced a progress score from the France-Taranaki Rugby match, at the afternoon tea adjournment. Walking-Sticks Walking-sticks collected by the Canterbury centre of the New Zealand Foundation for the Blind now totalled nearlv 200. the manager (Mr G. F. C. Ashdowhe) said yesterday. “The result of our appeal has been extremely satisfactory." he added. “One lot has gone to be painted others are in our store, and we have issued a couple of dozen already. The sticks collected so far should last us a year or more, but if the public have any more to send in, they will not go amiss.” The walking-sticks may be left either at the foundation’s building in Bristol street, or at “The Press” office.

Clock For Hospital Clock faces have been installed experimentally at the junction of the main corri- . dors of the Christchurch i Hospital, to test their suiti ability for permanent installation. A clock is to be presented to the North Canterbury Hospital Board by the [Christchurch Indian Association as an appreciation of services by the board to the Indian community. When the board has decided on the size of clock it considers necessary. the number of faces, and an appropriate housing, it will submit its plans for the approval of the association. Receptionist Service The receptionist service in the Christchurch Hospital casualty department will start on Mondav. A seven-day-a-week service will be provided from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. daily, the receptionist on da-y being responsible for seeing that patients are; not kept waiting unduly or.! if delay is unavoidable. ex-( plaining the reason. The receptionists will also look! after the clerical and tele- ! phone work associated with the department. enabling nursing staff to give full at-! tention to the patients Fiftysix applications were re-i ceived by the North Canter- i bury Hospital Board for the’ two positions.