CHINESE DOCTOR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 41, 22 January 1943, Page 2

CHINESE DOCTOR

N.Z. FOSTER MOTHER

FORMER TARANAKI LADY

A life-time of devotion on the part of a New Plymouth teachermissionary lies behind the story of Dr. Kathleen Pill, a Cantonese avoma 11 doctor, and Mrs Margaret Russell. her foster-mother, both former residents of Taranaki, whose internment in Shanghai is announced in advice received from Lourenco Marques, East Africa, states the Taranaki Herald. Many people in Taranaki and in Otago will remember a charmingly quaint Chinese child who Avas brought to New Zealand by Mrs Russell about 1900, and although it is. 12 years since the two left Taranaki for China, the many friends they left behind were anxiously awaiting news of them following the Japanese invasion. Mrs Kusscll is now 70 years of age. She Avas formerly Miss Margaret Adams Reid. She took up teaching as a profession and in 1873, on completing her training, left New Zealand to do missionary teaching Avorlt in Chinese schools for the Presbyterian Church. She was overseas for about 13 years, jind during the Boxer Rising in 1901 she took into her charge a two year old Chinese child, Kathleen Pih. By special arrangement with the Government she later brought the child to New Zealand to educate her, it being understood that after she had] completed her education she should return to China. When her husband's hea'th broke down, Mrs Russell, avlio had. been farming with her husband, returned to the teaching profession, accepting a position on the stall' of a Dunedin school. A year later in 1922, she joined . the staff of the West End school, New Plymouth. In 1924 she became headmistress at the Hillsborough School and. in 1927 she Avas appointed headmistress of Matapu School. She. retired on superannuation in 1930.

Selfless Work All tliis lime Mrs Russell worked solflessly in the interests ol' her Chinese ward, making many sacrifices so that Miss Pih could have the best possible training. For her courage, zeal and singleness of purpose Mrs Russell was greatly admired by all officers of the Taranaki Education Board with whom she came in contact and all have followed the career of Miss Pih with interest. She was educated at the Otago Girls' High School and. studied medicine at Otago University. By the efforts, of Mrs Russell she was able to take a post-graduate course at London University and gained a diploma of Ophthalmic Medicinc and Surgery. For about a year before leaving for China she was house surgeon at the Oiunaru Hospital. When the time came for Dr. Pih to return to China Mrs Russell did not wish to be parted with her, and in 1930 the pair went overseas. Mrs Russell became a lecturer in English at the Sun Yat-sen University, Canton, and Dr. Pih joined the staff of the. New Zealand Presbyterian Mission Hospital at Kong Chuen. Canton. In 1988 she married Dr. Francis Chang, Ph.D., M.Sc., of the staff of St. John's University, Shanghai, and. a member of one of the leading Christian families in China. Dr. Pih is now about 43 years of age.