EPIDEMIC COMMISSION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 134, 1 March 1919, Page 7

EPIDEMIC COMMISSION

• FIREMEN'S QUARTERS ON THE NIAGARA. By Telegraph—Press Association,' Auckland, February 28. . At thd Epidemic Commission to-day; Dr. Muckelhir said ■ there was a great number of women in the- community ; vho, though they had no desire to; become trained nurses, yet had a. great natural aptitiido for .tending the. sick, therefore it would be of great benefit to the community if women of, this typo, could receive limited but practical training in home nursing. Air arrangement might bo possiblo by which a certain number of thoso willing to learn homo, nursing in a practical way could be allowed to attend a hospital for a certain number of hours, and learn tlio ' elements of nursing under tho supervision of experienced sisters; Major W, 11. Pettit, N.Z.M.C., said: ho took cliavgo of tho quarantine station at Motuilii on December 7. The', Island was capable of .accommodating 110 to 120 patients, and, under supervision, tho water supply would be sufficient for this ■number for tho quarantine period. On the whole, his opinion was that the buildings at present on tho island wero suitftblo for quarantino* -purposes. The landing place for patients was not as convenient as it might be, .particularly if the weather were at all rough. David M'C. Gillies, superintending engineer of tho Union Stenm Ship' Company, Auckland, gave evidence in reference to. tho quarters of tho firemen on tho Niagara. He siiid the area of nil tins crews' quartors was governed by the Shipping and Seamen Act. Tho quartors on the Niagara included five living rooms allocated to the firemen exclusively., not including rooms for washing in and lavatories. There was included also one mess room. This was equal to a total of 901 square feet of floor space, and 8172 cubic feet of air space. Tho tot xl worked out for 26 men at an average of 34.6 sqnaro feet of floor space, and 340 cubic feet of air space . per ,-man. Reducing the provisions of Hie Act into simple figures the average could .bo taken out at 15 square feet of floor spnee per man, and 120 cubic feet of air space per man, so that the spaco laid down by tho Act was considerably below , that allowed on the Niagara. These quarters were on the main deck, and the stewards' quarters were, immediately above this deck.The ventilation, ho said, was absolutely the last thing in naval architecture.