Newspaper Article 1926 – Minister Opens New Nurses’ Homes

THROUGH HAWKE’S BAY

MINISTER OPENS NEW NURSES’ HOMES.

FUNCTIONS AT WAIPUKURAU AND NAPIER.

Epoch-making functions in connection with the history of the Waipukurau and Napier Hospitals were performed during the week-end by the Hon. J.A. Young, Minister of Health.

In the course of his first official tour of the district he opened the splendid new Nurses’ Homes recently erected at both hospitals, in the presence of large crowds.

The Minister arrived in Waipukurau by the express train from Wellington on Saturday afternoon and proceeded to the hospital by car, a large crowd of interested spectators from all over Central Hawke’s Bay being already assembled there for the occasion.

The official party then mounted the verandah just in front of the main door, from where Mr W.G. Rathbone, chairman of the Waipawa Hospital Board, offered a welcome to all those present.

In addressing the assemblage he referred to the fact that previously the nurses of the hospital had been placed under rather primitive conditions as far as living and residential quarters were concerned, but now they had a lovely and commodious home, with a room for each nurse and attractive and comfortable furnishings. The building has cost £9787 to erect.

The speaker also welcomed the Minister who, he said, was on his first official public visit to Waipukurau Hospital, though previously he had had the misfortune to be confined there as a patient.

FULLY DESERVED.

His Worship, the Mayor of Waipukurau (Mr E.A. Goodger) in welcoming the Minister to the centre, said that he thought it was fitting that he should have come to open such a splendid home, which was nothing more than the nurses, by their untiring labours for the sick under arduous conditions, fully deserved. (Hear, hear.)

Sir George Hunter, M.P., also welcomed the Minister, who, in performing the opening function, stated that the building of the home was a big step forward in the progress of the hospital. Those ministering angels, the nurses, deserved the best of living quarters while off duty, for their labours were long, hard and exacting, and he was glad to see that the responsible authorities in Central Hawke’s Bay were alive to their responsibilities in this direction.

He then opened the doors, amidst applause, with the traditional golden key and declared the home officially opened.

The new building was then inspected by all present.

ON TO NAPIER.

The Minister stayed the night in Waipukurau and came on to Napier by car yesterday morning.

In the afternoon he opened the new Nurses’ Home at the Napier Hospital in the presence of a goodly gathering of the populace. Owing to rain falling at the last minute the function had to be carried out in the building itself under cover.

Mr J.B. Andrew, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board, opened proceedings by extending a welcome to the Minister on his first official visit to the city. He expressed regret that the weather was so unsatisfactory, but stated his pleasure at the attendance for such an important event.

Mr John Mason, M.P., in referring to the building, said that the building was a mark of the progress of the hospital. When the old Nurses’ Home was first opened, he said, it was thought that it would serve its purpose for many years. The progress of the province, and in particular the progress of the city had made this impossible, and the present building has to be built. He was glad that the building was at last to be opened, for in future the work of the nurses would be carried on under better conditions. He congratulated the board in building its fine home, which was to be happily opened.

The Minister of Health, in opening the building, said that Hawke’s Bay had progressed, and a district progressed great social conveniences were required by it. One of these was a nurses’ home, and he was pleased to see that the Hospital Board was alive to its responsibilities and had build this splendid home. No section of the community rendered a finer humanitarian service than the nurses, and they were entitled to these comforts in their hours off duty. He offered his congratulations to the board on its excellent home and formally declared the building open.

The Minister stayed the night in Napier and left by the express train for Wellington this morning.