CITIZENS'VIGILANCE COMMITTEES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 43, 15 November 1918, Page 6

CITIZENS'VIGILANCE COMMITTEES

DISTRICT OHGA NISATIONS. The scheme of blocking off the city into defined districts, with district captains Mi'J committees to attend to tho needs of their own locality, is working out satisfactorily. Naturally ii big scheme such as was promoted at tho .citizens' meeting on Wednesday cannot at once become ft perfect machine, but the beginning was certainly an admirable one, nnd excellent work has been done. The chief difficulty whs in getting medical men. Many urgent cases came under the notii-e of voluntary workers, but when it came to the task of securing doctors tir< volunteers camo to a deadend, although the medical men were during earnestly and unremittingly. ■The situation almost demands that some hundreds of men and women should bo given f a few hours' training—taught iiow to tike temperatures, what drugs to recommend under a given set of condi(ions, ivlmt foods'are suitable, and how gonerall./ ihe patient should be attended to. There may be those fully capable qt instructing large classes in this rudimentary collide, and such people would ba invaluable to the suffering community if it were only to lay down bare principles to be followed in the treatment ot influenza.

The meeting convened for 10 a.m. yesterday bj Mr. William Foster (Wellington l'!n<s£) was not well atteuded,- probably owing , to the shortness of notice. Still a ff;w loyal workers rallied rQtmd Mr. I'ostei, Mid commenced their search duties, after the district had been blocked off in sections. Though the whole of the district could not be scoured the result of the visits to some parts was encouraging, and only a few cases that could be described as urgent ones were traced. Here, as elsewhere, difficulty arose in getting medical attention. The inhaling chamber was kept busily at work throughout the day, many hundreds of men,, women, and children being treated. Another meeting of citizens of Wellington East is to be held tms morning.

A meeting, convened by Mr. H. B. Holland; Ml'-, was held at Brooklyn School yesterday morning.' Councillor G. Frost presiding. It was resolved to divide Brooklyn into four blocks, each under, the supervision of the tour clergy-luen-the Hevs. White, Dent, Uollings, and Hudson. The executive committee was empowered to. move in the direction of providing load accommodation, and it was resolved to iiistal an inhalation chamber, under the control of Mr. S. G. Jones, at Waldje's Hall. Meanwhile urgent cases are to be cared for. The executive committee chosen consists of Councillor G. Frost (chairman), Mr. J. B. Hopkirk (secretary), and Messrs. H. J3. Holland, M.P., A. G. Glenny, and W. Maddison. The secretary (Air. Hopkirk) will be in constant attendance at the school for consultation.

A further meeting was held in the evening, when Councillor Frost presided. The recommendations of the executive were submitted by Air. H. B. Holland, M.P., and, included the following proposals:—Free passes en trains for Boy Scouts working under permits issued by the secretary of the committee; a Food Committee and a Visiting Committee to be set up; Government Departments to accept certificates from the committee in lieu of medicinal certificate in explanation of absence from duty-free distribution of disinfectants. The meeting approved of these recqiimendations, and decided to ask the Minister of Railways to release coal in erder to relieve the coal shortage. Messrs. Frost and Holland were authorised to interview the Minister. A Visiting , Committee (Mrs. Crabtree, convener) and a Food Committee (Mrs. Hopkirk, convener) were appointed. Mr. J. B. Hopkirk, the secretary of the Brooklyn Committee, wiil be at the Brooklyn School daily. A telephone has been installed at tho school, the number being 3158.

The Wellington North Bureau has been kept steadily going since its inception. The supervisor regrets that it 'has been quite impossible to answer all the calls for assistance ;.n the homos and for medical attention, but an assurance is given that everything possible is being done to meet requirements. ( It is hoped to-day to be able to send soup and lood to all needy ases. There is ample assistance in the kitchen department established at St. Andrew's and full supplies are expected to-morrow. The most urgent need is for workers— for anyone willing to go , into homes nnd give even a few hours' assistance. The committee will be most thankful to hear of anyone who could give such assistance, as it is rather distressing to have so many calls and to have so few workers available. So far as tne woi'K in the bureau is concerned, there is qiiite a sufficient number of workers. The .committee will be able to accommodate six or ten children from homes where people are quite unable to look after them, that is, providing they are not sickening for the trouble. This just applies to children who are well and who would be better off in another home.

The bureau supervisor asks all willing to help in any way to read the advertisements and remember that gifts of food and soup are most acceptable, and will bo received at any time at No. 28 The Terrace.

/ The St. Andrew's Schoolroom Bureau, |' under the Bev. ,S. Roberteon Orr (telephone -WIH), reported late "last night that good headway was being made with the serious cases. Two more nurses were availably, and hospital accommodation wai found. To-day they hope to open a hospital in the Normal School. Mesdames Jlasscy and Nathan have, had it fitted up, and a nurse is now available to lake charge. Personal assistance in homes is of primary and urgent, importance-. The committee state that they cannot praise too highly the assistance rendered by the Boy Scouts. A meeting of residents was held yesterday morning at Seatoun, when it was Arranged to visit systematically every house in the borough. By this means it was discovered to what extent help was required, but up till 5 o'clock only two. families weroi found to be in urgent need of assistance. Arrangements lmve been made to fit out !he Masonic Hall if it should be needed. The borough motor-bus will k> raed as an nmbulnncei and a committee of ladies has undertaken , to do the musing. A plentiful supply of disinfectants has beon purchased by the Borough Council for free distribution, and / two inhalation chambers will be opened to-day. All in. formation can be obtained at the- borough office.

Residents of Oriental Bay and HoseTieath met at tlie school yesterday morning in pursuance of the Mayor's request, and representatives were appointed to make n house-to-house canvass of _ I lie district to-day and report on the position to an adjourned meeting of residents to be held in the evening. An executive, consisting of tho chairman.of the School Committee, the headmaster, and the teachers, with several ladies and the officer in charge, was set up, and it arranged a scheme which should result in valuable information as to the extent of tho illness in the district being ob'tnincd.

At the evening meeting there wcro about M present. The canvassers reported that they had made a house-to-house, canvass of the district, including the poorer portions . of it. Altogether they visited between 200 and 300 houses, and found only two cases which required immediate attention. In a number of cases the inmates lind had influenza and had either recovered or were well on the way to recovery. The lady members of the committee- undertook to provide, any necessary comforts which stricken families might require. Several residents placed thoir personal services, their motor-cars, and their telephones at the disposal of tho coniniitlcc. The meeting was well satistied that the district was in a com"ijnrativply healthy condition. Elsewhere in this issue may be seen a list of telephone numbers to. which urgent cases can apply for immediate aid An inhalation chamber has been established at tho Uoseneath school. It will be open from G a.m. till B a.m. today, and thereafter daily (including bundays), from 10 a.m. till 8 p.m.

Mr. Foster, chairman of the Wellington East district, reported last night that

the amount of volunteering effort is grievously inadequate. A.l yesterday morning's meeting there were eight people, and at the evening meeting there were only four. Consequently lie was not able to patrol more than four subblocks out of fourteen in his district. From these, it was evident, however, that there is a lot of serious sickness.

A nioctin? was held in the infantschool, ICilbirnie, yestu'day. Mr. (jraj; presided, and urgent cases were deal with. Arrangements wero made to lit up tin inhalation dumber in tho district. The Boy Scouts were present at the meeting, and will bo available to act At a meeting- bold last night it was reported that much useful work hart been done b> helpers in dista-iunting .invalid foods. Disinfectant is now being distributed free, ami an inhalation chamber will scon bo ready for use. I lie enmmirteo appealed for more volunteers from the district, both women and men. for tho urgent work in hand. .

The headquarters of the Island Baj Committee is the local Bowling Pavihon, and the telephone number u 3G60 (two rings). Additional helpers are urgently required by the committee; also gifts of linen, broth, beef tei. and fruit. An inhalation chamber is to be opened in the English Church schoolroom- at noon to-dny. A list of the various block captains in tho district is advertised. Great work is being done in th* district by the sisjers of the Island Bay Home of Compassion.