PATEA HOSPITAL BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1932, Page 10

PATEA HOSPITAL BOARD

: AMENDING ACT DISCUSSED. THE BOARD “HAS GOOD CASE.” The monthly meeting of the Patea Hospital Board was held yesterday. Members present were Messrs C. R. Honeyfield (chairman), H. Middleton, R. ■J. Watt, A. T. Christensen, W. Back, W. H. Watkins,. R. B. Scown, J. Lupton and W. F. Belton. The chairman, reported that the old well had been fenced, but it was considered necessary to fill' it in. Matters in connection with. the. payment of various accounts were discussed. It .was decided that the offer of the Wanganui Board, in connection with the tuition 'of nurses' be , accepted with thanks. The question of effecting necessary repairs. to ,the cistern at the hospital was left to the chairman. ' ' ' Considerable time was spent in discussing the provisions of the new Hospitals Amendment Bill as they might affect the board. The possibility of the hospital being closed was considered. It was ; poifited., out that the smaller hospitals ’ would be ’ closed first, the commission having to pfove’. that a hospital should be closed..i The board considered it would' be'- able "to state a good case if required. ’ ' ‘ . Mr. Middletpn ( congratulated .the staff of the hospital on . the excellent state of grounds and’the neat appearance of.,the premises’’ generally- He considered the general public.should" be, invited during the holidays to view the . gardens. ' . Mrs. Honeyfield was reported ,to have presented a .picture to the nurses; this had been. hung in * the nurses’ sitting room and was .the object of appreciative reference?. Mrs. Armstrong had supervised the nurses in their last cooking examination on December 8, results not ■yet beingtohand. / ' ; ' • The board resolved >to make its usual; grant towards a small gift ' for each patient in. the hospital on Christmas Day.

PROTECTION OF PATEA PUBLIC.

POSSIBILITY OF PANIC IN HALL. The possibilities of panic following an earthquake or outbreak of fire in the Patea Town Hall or other local places of entertairiment were fully discussed when Captain F. Fitzwater waited, on the Patea Borough ' Council on Monday, with a view to having a fireman on duty at each picture . screening. ’ .'j ‘ . Captain Fitzwater stated that a competent fireman attended the theatre at eAch' evening performance until 12 months ago.' His duties had been to inspect, fire fighting appliances, try all exits, see that passages were clear and see that the rule of no smoking, was observed., During the past 12 months at the council’s instruction, a fireman had attended only on Saturday nights, provision in an emergency resting with the staff on other nights. While the employment of trained staffs might be successful, the moral effect of. a uniformed fireman was very strong. The brigade did not. seek payment, but did seek . permission to render a public service and asked that the arrangement existing previously be resumed. If the necessity existed on ‘ Saturdays it must exist on other days. ' ■ ' ■ ■ '' ' . 7 The Mayor (Mr. F. Ramsbottom): I think more danger, exists at bazaars with the vpajfei', decorations. / Cr. Scott: The cbriditiqns should apply to all halls. Cr. Honeyfield: To all or none. Cr. Christensen thought it was not the time to increase' the lessee’s expenses. Mr. R. W. Haddow, town hall lessee, stated that the' prevailing arrangement was satisfactory. During <the year a sharp shock of earthquake duririg a matinee had • created uneasiness among an 'audience, most: of whom had been women’ and children. Exits had been .thrown open arid the •'•'‘building was emptied quickly arid without disorder. There had been no suggestion of panic, 75 per cent, re-entering the.'.theatre arid the •’programme, being continued. ■ Cr. Scott: I ■ was ‘ present bn ‘ that occasion arid can' endorse. that.: ;

Mr; Haddow said the fire' brigade’s present offer to attend without payment had something behind it. The present time- was not -opportune to consider ap additional liability of £32 10s a year, the cost<of the payments to firemen for theatre duty . previously. - Cr. Christensen:; The town hall is better equipped- with exits than any other hall in New Zealand.

The point of discussion was whether fireman was necessary or not, said Cr. Carey. ? ■ . Mr. Haddow said a serious or fatal accident arising from failure to make provision for an emergency would meah/the loss of his 1 license and his living. He fully appreciated the gravity of his position and he considered the existing arrangement ■ sufficient to • prevent injury or loss of life.

GENERAL ITEMS.

Thirty years' business without a single loss was the record claimed for the Hawera Starr-Bowkett Building Society at the 30th annual meeting on Monday night. Appreciation was expressed by the meeting of the efforts of the society’s officers. Some valuations and business methods were said to be the reason for this phenomenally good result over so many years.

A. snjall’ car" owned, by Mrs. B. McCarthy (Hawera) was found in the lake at King Edward Park, Hawera, yesterday after. being removed from Victoria Street on the previous . evening. Mr. L. F. Bell, Mokoia, discovered his car was missing yesterday, morning and it has not yet been recovered. The Whakamara factory staff discovered yesterday morning that-a quantity of petrol had been removed from the factory pump.

The anniversary of the Salvation Army Sunday school at Hawera was celebrated by special children’s , services on Sunday and a young people’s?demonstration on Monday, evening. There were large attendances.-; The ‘.Hawera . junior choir pleased with its. first .public appearance. Several effective tableaux were also performed.' Choruses and solos were sung, and there were two playlets. ■■ Early yesterday afternoon the Hawera Fire Brigade was called out to a, hedge fire in Wilson Street. \ Arrivals; at the port of Patea-yesterday were the rnjotor vessels Foxton, Kapuni and Hawera, all from Wellington.

Saturday night- saw the largest attendance of the series at the Auroa tennis dance, visitors being present from as far as Manaia and Stratford. Mr. J. Hooker played the dance music.