HOSPITAL AUXILIARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22351, 24 February 1936, Page 3

HOSPITAL AUXILIARY

HELP FOR THE NEEDY

The first meeting for the year of the council of the Auckland Hospital Auxiliary was held at the Nurses' Home, Park Road. The president, Mrs. E. A. Kidd, presided. A report presented by the secretary for December and January stated that the annual treat of strawberries and cream was given on December 9 to all patients in hospital who were permitted to have it, the patients numbering 692. The demand for men's clothing had been very heavy and it was found necessary to purchase a complete stock of wear, such as trousers, singlets, socks, shirts and boys' shirts. For the children whose parents received help from the depot 156 toys had been bought and distributed, while 10 orders for milk, eggs and butter had been given in one month. Orders for 10s had been given to 22 families to help with their Christmas buying. Three orders for shoes had been given for patients leaving the hospital. Sixteen patients had been assisted with tram fares to and from the hospital, while two brands of milk food were still being supplied to the hospital district nurses for their patients who required extra nourishment. _ Various patients, it was stated, had been "given outfits of warm clothing to go to the sanatoriums, and recently a child had been given a complete outfit to go the Pukeora Sanatorium. Wards were being supplied with dressing gowns, slippers and pyjamas where necessary, and many tuberculosis patients were being given extra nourishment by the auxiliary. The investigating committee was still giving invaluable assistance. The extension of the work to the Mental Hospital had been more than justified, and it was agreed that a grant of £SO should be made to this branch.

Compared with the figures of the two previous months, the demand tor assistance was greater at present, the report continued. Especially was this so in cases where members of a family were in hospital and the husband on sustenance or relief work. Books were still being sent in from the Victoria women's institutes, Ellershe Presbyterian Church Guild and anonymous donors. These were handed over to Canon J. Hazledon. hospital chaplain. who was short of reading matter for the patients.