Mexborough & Swinton Times, July 5 1935
Conisborough Hospital Sunday.
Ald. Dunn and the Voluntary System.
Transition to Municipal Era.
‘Some people will take the view that I am on a controversial question because they will think I went to put the hospitals on the rates,’ said County Alderman E. Dunn at Conisborough’s 45th Hospital Demonstration on Sunday.
Strongly advocating the provision of municipally owned hospitals, Ald. Dunn declared that it was not a question of whether miners or other workers were going to contribute, it was the problem of health they had to face. He took it as part of his public duty to advocate that they must obtain for the poor the best medical and surgical facilities.
He was going to demand the same skill care, feeding and convalescent treatment for the working classes as for all other classes. The change from the voluntary to the municipal system was not far off. The old system was breaking down.
Commenting on maternal mortality, Mr. Dunn said that three men were killed every day in this country in order to produce coal; to bring children they were losing twelve women’s lives every day, and he was told that nine of those could have been saved.
Mr. W. Hanson of Doncaster royal Infirmary, said that last year the infirmary’s income was £27,000, but they spent about £30,000. Some people would talk about profit and loss, but with a hospital the only profit and loss related to life and health. At Doncaster they had spent £200,000 in the last four years in providing a new hospital and out-patient department. One instrument in the out-patient department cost £1,500.
Mr. W. Arthur Sheffield Royal Infirmary, said he would like to remind his listeners that Miss Hall (matron of the Godfrey Walked Convalescent Home) Was about to leave them after many years’ service. On his own behalf and that of the Board he would like to express their thanks and the hope that she would have a long and happy retirement. He also desired to voice thanks to Drs. Maclure and Clark for their assistance during the year.
A vote of thanks to the speakers was proposed by Mr. Ben Gethin (Fullerton Hospital), and in seconding Coun. R. J. Troughton referred to the loss the local committee had suffered through the death during the year of their chairman.
Mr. Troughton also added his regret at Miss Hall’s departure, and Dr. W. J. Maclure, presiding, in a personal tribute to Miss Hall, said that she also took with her his sincere wishes for her welfare during the coming years.
A feature of the proceedings was the procession which preceded the demonstration speeches. A large company spent more than an hour treading through the township to the tune of the Denaby Ambulance Band, the Denaby C.L.B. Band, the Doncaster Boys’ Brigade Band and the Denaby Salvation Army Band.
Prominent in the procession were the Denaby, Conisborough and Mexborough fire brigades, with the Mexborough fire engine, and a decorated lorry, with the tableau, ‘David the Shepherd Boy,’ which was presented by the New Hill Sunday School.
Scholars from the New Hill and Baptist churches, Conisborough Scouts, members of the C.L.B., Boys’ Brigade, ambulance men and nursing sisters also took part. The banner of the Cadeby branch of the Y.M.A. was also carried.