Transcription of the article:

ROSE DAY FESTIVAL FOR THE HOSPITAL.
MR. H. MANFIELD, M.P.'S LAUDABLE AMBITION.

The annual Rose Day and Fete at Higham Ferrers, in aid of the Northampton General Hospital, took place on Saturday in glorious weather. Roses were sold by a large number of ladies and practically every resident and visitor to the Borough wore the little emblem. A splendid procession took place in the afternoon, including the competitors in the fancy dress competitions, the Firemen, the Irthlingborough Ladies' Bugle Band, and a combined brass band from Rushden. A feature of the day's proceedings was a public meeting in the Castle Field, when a large concourse assembled. Mr. J.H.C. Crockett, of Northampton, presided, supported on the platform by the Mayor and Mayoress of Higham Ferrers and many others.

The Chairman said that as one of the Governors of the Northampton Hospital he was glad they were trying to do their best for the Hospital. They had many difficulties in connection with the Hospital. They had been short of doctors and nurses, and had had considerable difficulty in trying to keep the institution in a state of thorough efficiency, but they had succeeded up to the present, and the money raised for the Hospital was being well and properly spent, not only from the economic point of view, but also from the standpoint of efficiency. In addition to these public efforts the Governors would like to have more regular subscribers. They had had a large number of wounded and broken soldiers in the Hospital, and at the same time they had not neglected the civilian population.

Mr. H. Manfield, M.P., who came in the dual capacity of Chairman of the Board of Management of the Hospital, and Treasurer of the Hospital Week Committee, said they wanted the Northampton Hospital to be second to none in the country. In1904 they decided to rebuild the old Hospital, which they did by providing two wings, making the hospital thoroughly up-to-date, and making the old part of the Hospital as administrative buildings, kitchens, nurses' homes, etc. They determined as a Board at the time that they Northampton Hospital should be equal to the needs of the country. They had now 294 beds. Since the War they had built two pavilions, which accommodated 80 wounded soldiers, and in addition - thanks to the generosity of the public - they had devoted one of the Hospital wards to the soldiers, giving another 40 beds.

OVER 2,000 WOUNDED CARED FOR.

Since the War started over 2,000 wounded soldiers had been cared for in the Hospital, besides 500 other soldiers from the home billeted in Northampton. Last year they had no fewer than 3,695 in-patients, and 12,528 out-patients. Loyal and splendid service had been given to the Hospital by the doctors and nurses. The War, with its insistent demand upon every class, had made very heavy demands upon their staff of hon. surgeons, and they had lost the services of many, but those who remained had, by extra work and by extra trouble, filled up the vacancies, and the work had proceeded with as few drawbacks as possible, under the circumstances. The Governors wanted the Hospital to be considered as belonging to the county, to the people, so that patients did not go there as a result of charity, but as a right, because of the support given to, and the interest taken in the Institution by the people of the county. That feeling had grown, and he believed it was very largely because of the work of the Hospital Week Committee. (Applause).