Clerk Of Hospital Board To Retire

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 2

Clerk Of Hospital Board To Retire

“I am going to have a leisurely breakfast every morning, and read “The Press” over a second cup of tea. When the novelty of not going to work wears off, I will think of something to do.” These are the plans of Miss V. M. Jones, clerk of the North Canterbury Hospital Board works department, who will retire at the end of January after more than 41 years with the board.

Born in Christchurch, and educated at the Convent of Our Lady of the Missions, Miss Jones started with the board on May 31. 1920, and after a year as office junior was promoted to the telephones, making out ration tickets and helping with the Charitable Aid Committee each week. Later she was moved to the store office, and in April, 1925, was transferred to the

works department, where her duties covered the clerical work of the artificial limb and splint department, engineers department and works department. "During ttie depression we had more than enough to do, as at one time nearly 400 men were working on relief and, with the late Mr C. de Renzy, I was responsible for tune keeping and payment of wages." said Miss Jones After the depression the work increased so much that the clerical work of the three departments had to be made separate, although Miss Jones continued to do the typing for the engineers department. as well as her •works department duties, until the works department office was moved from the main office in the hospital block to the workshop in St. Asaph street.

Now she works with the noise of machinery all around her, the only woman in a staff of about 63. She kept them all in order, she said. “They are as curious as magpies, and invent the most trivial excuses to pop into the office to see me. But many of them are very nice, and some even bring me bunches of flowers clutched in their hands.” she said. She expects that they will miss her when she leaves in January. "But they will survive very well without me.”