LEVIN HOME CLOSED

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 232, 28 June 1945, Page 4

LEVIN HOME CLOSED

4 Difficult Year Also For Alexandra Hospital

In its fiftieth year, it was unfortunate that the Levin Memorial House for Girls in Wellington has had to close temporarily. Staff and financial conditions, com bined with the urgent need for extensive and expensive repairs to the building, amounting to some thousands of pounds, were the dominating factors leading to the committee’s decision. Arrangements were made for the children in the home to be placed in other suitable homes till such time as it would be practicable to reopen. _ To offset the decreased number'of applications for admission, the home was able to take the children of sick mothers, temporarily, thus rendering a service to the women concerned. This was .not found to .be altogether desirable as it had an upsetting effect ou the permanent children. When the Wellington Christian Ladies’ Association held its annual meeting recently, the reports of the Levin Home and the Alexandra Home and ’Hospital were presented. An earnest request that assistance be given to raise the necessary finance to enable the home to be put into first-class order again, was contained in the Levin Home report. The work carried out in the past could then be re-established at an early date. . Changed conditions, brought about by higher costs, in service, equipment and general maintenance, made it necessary for the trustees of the Alexandra Home and Hospital to consider seriously closing the hospital to private patients and also as a training school for maternity nurses, stated the sixty fifth annual report of the Alexandra Home for Women and Alexandra Maternity Hospital. Conferences had been held and the Department of Health stressed that till the new St. Helens Hospital was erected, Alexandra was essential to provide the necessary beds for expectant mothers.. The Government agreed to. give financial assistance and so make it possible for the hospital to continue to function. Fifty-five girls were admitted to the home during the year. They received medical care before and after the birth of their babies, and for this service the committee acknowledged its indebtedness to Dr. T. F. Corkill, who, over a period of 21 years, has made the girls at Alexandra his special cure. The doctor's resignation was received with profound regret. “Voluntary aids have again, given wonderful help, and when the hospital has been taxed almost beyond capacity they have been invaluable. Thank you, voluntary aids, and congratulations on your war service,” sajd the report. Statistics for the year at Alexandra Hospital show that there were 4G2 married mothers admitted. A total of 2G5 boys and 250 girls were born and there were two pairs of twins. A total of 1067 mothers attended the exercise classes.