CLOSING DOWN

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 137, 6 December 1918, Page 8

CLOSING DOWN

EMERGENCY HOSPITALS NO MORE FSESH CASES TO BE ADMITTED Th* epidemic, «o far as Wellington/«ity and suburbs are concerned, may 'now be said to have practically ended. 'The welcome announcement was made lHhis morning that after 10 'clock toll aught (Friday) the emergency hospitals v>-jronld be closed down for the admission F»f fresh influenza cases, and after that -ball new cases occurring would be re- £ ported to th« General Hospital, whose f»taff will deal, with same. STATEMENT B¥ THE MAYOR. ,; The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, 0.M.G., f'M.P.), in tn* cou*?* °* a statement to F» Post representative at noon to-day, *• stated that he communicated with the .{chairman of the Hospital and Charitable '/Aid Board this morning, and asked him Ho make arrangements for the Welling-. faoa General Hospital to deal with all i'^resh cases of influenza. The chairman oof the board conferred with,him, and restated that they now had sufficient room kin the General Hospital for such fresh iveaseg as might arise, and would b« pre- !• pared to deal with them. "We h«ve , now reached that point which I have ] „'T»een longing for, and which I know "iitisens have been looking forward to in ""iopeful anticipation—-no fresh cases are to be r *dmitted to the emergency hospitals," said the Mayor. "It is a matter /for congratulation arid, appreciation of £the splendid, work. of. the organisation, "along with tfie constituted authorities, \ that the severe epidemic has been arrested. The measures carried oat, I am »ure, saved many lives, and in this re«pert I refer specially to the noble work • done in the diflereni hospitals, in which 11 include the Wellington General Hos■pital. "The rapid removal of cases to new . emergency, hospitals . also had a. very valuable effect in isolating persons affect- * <cd in 'those tinstiiutiohs," . thus- freeing locahties.and preventing the spreading of , ;thedisease. lam sure the public will adlmit thatthatlasbeen one of the greatest ■benefits conferred by the organisation* TChe gravity, of the position that arose -may be estimated from tHe fact that for some time no less than 18 ambulances l~\*re kept going. Now, happily, this work has almost terminated; in fact, for some nights the calls have been praeticnlly nil. For the time being the Town Hall organisation will deal with the reino*«! 'of-patiente from'-the emergency hospitals to the- convalescent homes or i/y their own hones as may be desired. Regarding the supply of tonics, the num- , her of- applicants for same, I am glad to say, has also be^ri'so 1 "sm«U that lam arranging with the ladies who have so kindly undertaken the distribution to reduce the number of hours during which medicines will be available., Simi-

Jar arrangements will be made in regard ' to tbe supply of comfort*, the idea being to shorten the hours of those who have carrying on this work. The public, I am cure, will appreciate th» position, »nd will fall-into line. ,

. ' 'Finally, lam of opinion that we have reached the conclusion of the claims on the citizens' organisation. On a future occasion I hope to take an opportunity of publicly testifying to the noble devotion of those women and men of this city who hare laboured ao grandly, in alleviating the suffering of those in their midst. On the financial aide, I may say, ac--oounts are now coming forward, and I have called & meeting of the Finance 'Committee for Monday morning to. deal f-with them."-