ST. HELEN'S HOME INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1670, 10 February 1913, Page 6

ST. HELEN'S HOME INQUIRY.

(By Telegraph.—Pres« Association.) : Auckland, February 5. At St. Helen's Home inquiry to-day Dr. P. A. Lindsay said he considered that the Homo was in every way an admirably conducted institution. Having regard for the, population and, size of .the city of Auckland he did .not think tho present' building a suitable one for a maternity home. Considering the building itself and its situation, ho thought the Home did remarkably good work, and the results compared favourably with' those of any other maternity home. The position of the institution was certainly a very handy one, but that was about all that could be said in favour of it. He Would prefer to see it on a site further removed from the tram line. In re,ply to a question from the Commissioner, Dr.' Lindsay said he did not think it would be advisable for the Homo to be an adjunct of the General Hospital. • The Commissioner:'ln your opinion, is the existing; ' site one that should be abandoned if a more suitable one could be obtained? , Witness: Yes'. i Do you think, in tho interests of fhose who use the Homo, it would-be.a good thing to have a resident meelical'.officor, whose sole dutv would bn to look' after those in the 'Homo?-"No, I think it would be a jitoposterous. thing to havo a resident medical officer, solely for the institution." '■•■■'. • Witness, in response ■. to furtbrr questions, said that ho did not think more than one medical officer was necessary for the Home. With regard ■(o keeping case books, he thought that in public institutions, such as St.' Helen's Home, a book .Should, be kept regularly and as fully as possible.. He dfd. not think 1t would be at all practicable-for patients to be allowed to nominate- their own medical attendants. • Auckland, February 7. At St. Helen's Home inquiry evidence was taken to-day in regard' to the case of Mrs.' Stevenson, who, after leaving St. Helen's was admitted td tho-general hospital, subsequently dying ,in a mental hospital. Several witnesses wero .called. In the course of evidence, Miss M'Loan. Assistant-Inspector of Hospitals, stated that it had been in contemplation for sonie time to add a third trained nurse to the .staff'at'St. Helen's Home. The number of _ complaints made by patients or third frienda regarding the conduct of the homo had . been exceedingly small, and investigation in each instance revealed that there was no 6erious causo for complaint. Tho present ,sito wan selected . with a view to being, most advantageous for patients- inside the hospital and for those likely to_ be patients. The fact of tho hospital being so.close to the cars was in some ways a drawback, but this was compensated for by tho fact of consequent handiness.

The clover crops reserved for seed purposes have suffered severely as a result of the dry weather, says the "Lyltcllon Times," and in quite a number nf instances farmers were so short of feed that they were compelled to turn their stock Into unclosed areas.