PETONE TEMPORARY HOSPITAL

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 140, 10 December 1918, Page 2

PETONE TEMPORARY HOSPITAL

A gathering was held last evening in the- I'dtone' temporary' hospital—the Teclmical School— -of the workers who had. been <on duty'during the epidemic. The- Mayor,...Mr. J. W. M'Ewan, .presided. The. Mayor Said the hospital had been, opened on 15th November—since when -77 patients had been admitted. 'There were 18 deaths from influenza, 1 from heart disease, one of a baby which had been born in the; hospital and had lived only 21 hours. There had been 2000 persons in the town affected, and the deaths had been not more, he estimated, than 40, whicli was only i'per , cent, of the population. • In some other places the deaths had been over ,1 per cent. Most of fte iases admitted to the Petorie Hospital had been seribusi and hiw} been adtoiited only iOn.the;ceftifi- :- catee of onedieaJ-men. - Tne two^iriedical men of the town, Drs. Boss- aid, Harding ,deserved the', very best thanks of the people,,- and -on- behalf of the- town he accorded it to them.' (Applause). Right from the'beginning the medical men had been overworked, arid "the, town was indebted to the Gear Comjiany fof the loan of motor-cars arid drivers for them which had made, their services 6f double value. (Applause). Privates;- Roseware, Page, and \Vhiittaker,- Army, Medical Corps, deserved the best thanks >'pt the town, also Captain Gibbs for granting thai? services. Besides the hospital work proper there had been an outpatierits 1 department. Large numbers of persons had received gifts of medicine, fruit, eggs, and soup, and the donor* of gifts of this kind should be thanked. (Applause). The Gear Company right from the start had provided,', free, rich soup for distribution purposes. The Wellington Woollen Company also had rendered . valuable service, riot only in gifts of clothing, but in giving the services of at least twelve of its lady ..workers for nurses. , (Applause), the Mayor's distress fund had been subscribed to generously, ' and had reached the total of £316; out of Aiis temporary assistance had been git en in a number of cases, and £250 Was still in hand. (Applause). The very best thanks were due td the nurses, both male and female, who" had so willingly given their services, and also the kitchen staff (applause); and r also all • tho other workers whom he mentioned.

Dr. Ross, in reply, said it was unfortunate that the Mayor had not been able to gay anything of his own work. • (Applause.) He had done a vei-y very creat work as head: of the hospital, andCanything needed had only to be asked for to be granted.

Rev. A. B. Todd said most noble service had also been given outside the hospital which would never be recorded. On the suggestion of Councillor Brockel^ank, the Nursing Division and the Ambulance Brigade were specially thanked. For her work, a special ground of applause was given to Mrs. M'Ewan, Mayoress. '

Hhe Mayor said he desired to specially mention the great loss the town had suffered through the death of Mrs. 0. CkAlett, superintendent of the ladies' nursing division. She had fought the good fight and had given her life itt the service of the people. On the .motion of the Mayov a vote of sincere synipathy was passed with Mr. C. Oollett.