Newspaper Article 1966 – Nurses end reunion with church service

Nurses end reunion with church service

More than two hundred former general and eighteen month maternity nurses, who graduated from the Hastings Memorial Hospital between 1948 and 1964, ended their first reunion in ten years yesterday with a church service.

After the official opening on Saturday by the Mayor of Hastings, Mr R. V. Giorgi, graduates toured different departments of the hospital where special displays had been set up.

They saw the latest developments in instruments and machines in the operating theatres and also a central supply room, from which supplies and instruments are sent to all departments of the hospital. The tutorial block and nurses homes were also visited.

Graduates who had been away from the hospital for twenty or more years noted a marked change in all aspects of hospital work.

On Saturday night a dinner and social evening was held at the Assembly Hall.  Entertainment was provided by former nurses living in Hastings.  A choir of 12 past nurses formed especially for the reunion entertained.

A church service on Sunday morning was to have been held on the steps of the hospital’s chapel, but because of wet weather, was transferred to Harding Hall.  The service was conducted by the Rev. J. B. Dawson (Methodist Church), and Father K. McCarten [McCartney] (St Mary’s, Hastings).

The text was read by Sister G. Pattullo, who is now matron of the Greymouth Hospital. The choir of graduate nurses, trained by Mr. E. Read, sang Mendelssohn’s “Lift Thine Eyes”.  A collection will be given to the Cancer Research Foundation.

Any profit from the reunion will be given to the Memorial Hospital.