HOSPITAL ESTABLISHED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20792, 7 February 1931, Page 14

HOSPITAL ESTABLISHED.

NAPIER RACECOURSE. ACCOMMODATION FOR 100. EQUIPPEb AND STAFFED. SEVERAL BIRTHS OCCUR. [BST TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] NAPIER, Friday. A hospital is now established on the Grcenmeadows Racecourse. It is fully equipped, completely staffed, and capable of dealing with any class of case. Yesterday eight large marquees replaced the shelters on the lawn, and these now are equipped with proper hospital cots to provide accommodation for 100 patients. Ail operating thentro with two tables has been placed in a room beneath the grandstand, and tlie hospital even has a high-pressure sterilising plant. In 12 hours yesterday a Wellington Defence party under Major W. Ivory did excellent work in establishing a generating plant and providing electricity for the entire hospital. An X-ray plant will be installed by to-morrow. The hospital at present is staffed with eight doctors and 35 fully-trained nurses. There are ambulance sections from all parts of the North Island. The Napier Hospital nursing staff, having had a much-needed rest, will return to duty to-day. Water and sanitation arrangements have been made, and the organisation of til o entire hospital is excellent. A touch of humour is lent to the tragic situation by the fact that the totalizator building now is the nurses' home, while horse boxes are being used as doctors' quarters and peoplei with lively sporting instincts are freely referring to the medical men by the names of well-known racehorses. Earthquake victims are still arriving at the hospital. One elderly man was found yesterday in a state of collapse in a fowlhouse at his home, whither he had gone to avoid the danger of falling bricks. After last night's severe shake several people, whose houses on the Bluff Hill had further collapsed toward the lawn on which they were sleeping, were brought in suffering from shock. Several births have occurred since Tuesday, a number of them premature. A maternity home has been established in Napier, but is to be transferred to the racecourse at the earliest opportunity. Dr. Bowerbank, who has relieved the medical superintendent., Dr. Biggs, of many of the responsibilities of the moment, will shortly return to Wellington together with other well-known doctors. It is understood that the hospital will then be staffed by Napier doctors.

CAEE OF INJUEED.

CASES IN WELLINGTON. STRETCHERS AND AMBULANCES. CROWDS WAIT IN VAIN. [EX TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WELLINGTON, Fridny. Hitherto like a distant voice calling the earthquake disaster became more intimate, like a grip on the shoulder, when a train load of injured refugees and others arrived at Thorndon station last evening. The wan faces of stretcher patients bore stark witness to the distant scene of ruin and death. The station platform was crowded in anticipation of the arrival of the train, but tiie hundreds of people waited in vain for it to pull in for the authorities altered the arrangements, all tbe refugees being disembarked at the large goods shed. Only officials and helpers were present in the shed when the train drew in, the ambulances and relief cars being got away without the slightest trouble.

The train carried 29 stretcher cases and 30 other refugees ,in vans. The injured persons were first supplied with refreshments by a large body of nurses and assistants and then removed to ambulances.

The journey had been a long and trying one, in spite of the attention received en route, as it had occupied from 12.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Torches and hurricane lamps were used to light tho interior of the vans in which beds had been made on tho floor for the sufferers. No word of complaint was heard. Some slept from fatigue and pain; others showed it in their wide eyes. One woman asked that her face be covered as she was removed from van to ambulance. One closed van door bore tho ominous nolire in chalk, "Do not open." Tlia vision of a dressing station in wurtimo came inevitably to (lie minds of those who watched the swathed figures on the stretchers, tho white uniformed nurses and the waiting ambulances. During this time large crowds clamoured at the lingo steel doors at each end of the shed, but had to content themselves with glimpses through a glass door. With nil expedition the patients were conveyed to tho hospital. The other refugees were taken by friends to billets in and around the city. The rapid absorption by Wellington of refugees from Ilawke's Bay was made evident yesterday in several ways. Cars arrived in the city frequently with homeless ones, somo of the vehicles bearing the sign, "From Napier," in addition to the relief train in tho evening. The Napier express had ,a load of 70. Calls were made by new arrivals at the offices in Dixon Street of the lied Cross Society between 6 and 11 p.m. and the people were provided with refreshments. Most of them were fitted out, too, with needed clothing. At 11 p.m., however, there was still a mountain of footwear and a pile of clothing waiting for further travellers. Even a mechanical canary was ready to sing a happy song. "MONEY WOEFULLY SHORT" PROBLEM AT HASTINGS. A private telegram received from the Mayor of Hastings, Mr. G. F. Roach, last evening, stated that although there were sufficient volunteers to assist in relief operations there was a woeful shortage S m °}xr y ' , T1 '° meiisa 8 e was addressed ,to Mr. W. J. Lyon, a member of tho Hastings Borough Council and the Napier Harbour Board, who is visiting Auckland. -kypn was absent from liawke'B Bay at the time of tlie disaster.