AT THE RELIEF DEPOTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17007, 14 November 1918, Page 4

AT THE RELIEF DEPOTS.

SCENES OF ACTIVITY.

WORK IN THE SUBURBS.

A visit yesterday to suburban depots, established for the purpose of more quickly and effectively fighting the epidemic, showed that residents of the suburbs axe working well among the affljcted, and doing all in their power to cope with the urgent demand for help. The position was perhaps more hopeful at Remuera yesterday than at any of the other depots visited, for in this district the epidemic has not taken anything like the virulent hold it has had on the more congested areas. Several ladies are capably directing the work, and taking every possible step to relieve hardship. About 25 assistants are also giving their services. Applications have come for help from all parts of the district, including St. Helinrs Way. The places are all visited by the volunteer helpers, and reported, where necessary, to the depot, which endeavours to obtain the services 'f a doctor in urgent cases. A few cases o' poverty and ne"lect have been discovered since the depot opened last week, but these are the exception. The worst cases are those where whole families have been stricken, and there has been no one to attend to them. Remuera is particularly fortunate, inasmuch as a splendid supply of food and clothing has been sent in to the depot by residents. So generous has been the supply that help has been ,given to Newmarket and the town depot. At Epsom, where the depot wan only opened on Tuesday, there is great, need for more helpers. So far, only one volunteer nurse has been secured, and she is overloaded with work. Thero were a large number of calls yesterday, and difficulty was experienced in meeting them. The Depot Committee would be very thankful for extra supplies of food and clothing, and particularly for offers of domestic help. The Newmarket depot reported a falling off in calls yesterday, although the work has not diminished at all. There are some very poor homes in this district, and but for the aid given by the vo'unteer helpers it would have gone hard with many families. More helpers are still required to assist in the homes as many unfortunate mothers are unable to attend to the needs of their families.

The workers in charge of the Mount Eden depot state that last Sunday and Monday were by far their busiest days. Things looked very dark at that time. There has been no doctor in the district since Saturday, and the only medical assistance has been that kindly given by passing physicians, who have teen called in to emergency cases. The trained nurse in charge of the district has been taken ill, but Miss Bagley has managed to secure another to take her place. Generous supplies of food are being sent in by residents, and the work of the district is now well in hand. The opening of another depot at the firo brigade station, Three Lamps, yesterday, brought a rush of calls from tho Ponsonby and Heme Bay d strict. Tho work here is hardly organised as yet, and domestic help is required at once, also donations of food, clothing, and old linen. This depot will serve a very poor district, and there will be need of all the assistance that can be snared, also for the use of motor-cars to get quickly in touch with patients. The inhalation chamber opened yesterday at the Leys institute was visited by a large number of people, including many mothers with their children. Since the various depots opened there has been a tremendous number of applications for tho standard medicine, which is now stocked at *ach. " They seem to like it," remarked a member of the Citizens' Committee yesterday. "It is amazing the guantity tiny get through."