CARE OF THE WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2468, 22 May 1915, Page 7

CARE OF THE WOUNDED

NURSES SAIL STATIONARY HOSPITAL FAREWELL CEREMONIES The contingent of 31 nurses, along with the staff of tho No. 1 Stationary Hospital, 94 of all ranks, are sailing b.v the Marama for Sydney early this morning to join tho Moldavia thero cn route to the Mediterranean. Expeotring that the ship would sail as usllal at 5 p.m., crowds thronged the wharf at that hour. If they had left then, tho nurses and the Red Cross men would havo had a magnificent farewell. 01 tho nurses it is unnecessary to say more than this: That they are a body of line, healthy young women, physically tit for the arduous work ahead of them, and if appearances may be trusted, they are of tho sort to maintain or even excel the highest trstditions of their noble profession in this, the greatest service that any woman can render to tho Empire now. Uf course, they are not selected at hazard. They are among the best in New Zealand, and we New Zealanders i ih o tllat ' ,|)ost ew Zealand will nearly do for anywhere, the hospital staff also calls for superlatives. At the head, Lieutenant-Col-onel JI Gavin is a surgeon who has, jnnle yet young, achieved something like fame in this country. The other medical men are ail doctors of high repute. Tho rank and file are, in physique, character, intelligence, and soldierly bearing, as good as any country need wish to be judged by. 'There has been competition at Trentham for this corps, and, very properly, the best men were chosen. The High Commands.

Ihe contingent will be under the command of Lieut.-C'olonel M'Gavin. Chief Medical Officer of No. 1 Stationary Hospital until they arrive at their destination. At present it seems probable that if the nurses go to Egypt the hospital staff and the nurses will all leave the Moldavia together at the same port. Presumably the stationary hospital will go to Turkey, behind the New Zealand lines, whereas the nurses are to go to base hospitals in Egypt or Malta.

Miss Cameron has been appointed matron of the nurses' contingent. She lias been matron-in-chargo ot the St. Helens Hospital, Christchurch, and previous to that was at the Cambridge Sanatorium for two years, and for five years at St. Helens, Christchurch. Miss Cameron is Australian trained, having been a member of the staff of tho Owen's District Hospital, Victoria. Farewell Ceremony. The nurses assembled in the diningroom of Bellamy's yesterday afternoon to take tea, and to receive their badges of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service. The badges were presented by Mrs. Massey, assisted by Lady Kelburn and Mrs. Hall Thompson, two ladies whose husbands are now serving the Empire in ships of His Majesty's Navy. Afterwards Mrs. Luke, on behalf of the Wellington Branch of the Lady Liverpool Committee, presented every nurse with a largo box of chocolates. It hai>pened that Mrs. Luko, being under tho impression that there were only Si) instead of 31 nurses in the party, had procured only 30 boxes of chocolates, but slio promised then and there to see that tho nurse who had not received the intended gift would get her chocolates later. An hour or so later Mrs. Luke visited the ship and fulfilled her promise. The gifts were much appreciated, and Mr. Allen expressed his profound admiration for Mrs. Luke's indefatigable energy and unfailing thoughtfulness. Prime Minister's Cood Wishes. The Prime Minister said he wished to thank tlie nurses on his own behalf and on behalf of the people of Now Zealand for the patriotism and public spirit they had displayed in coining forward to offer their services to tho Empire. Of course such patriotism was to be expected of New Zealand girls, girls of the same stock as tho men of New Zealand who had made such a gallant fight on the Gallipoli Peninsula. He was sure the nurses would have plenty of opportunities of useful service where they were going, and lie was equally sure that they would acquite .themselves well. "I hope," ho concluded "that you will all come back in good health 'to the country you are leaving to-day. Goodbye, and tho very best of luck." (Applause.) GENEROUS DONATIONS. The Hon. J. Allen, before he addressed the nurses, conveyed to tliem Lady Liverpool's message of farewell (referred to elsewhere), and also read a. letter ho had received from the Hon. C. J. Johnston. This letter, he said, con-I tained two cheques, each for £500. One was from Miss Johnston, of Fitzhorbert J errace, and one was from Mr. and Mrs. 0. J. Johnston. They stipulated that tho money should be applied as follows • £100 in response to the Defence Minister's appeal for £1000 already cabled to Egypt for comforts for tho wounded. £450 for comforts for the wounded. £200 for the wounded in Egypt. £250 for the wounded in England. Ihis announcement was received with the heartiest applause. Mr. Massey here stated that he had been asked within the last quarter of an hour to visit a function that afternoon, at which ho was to receive a cheque for £250 from the Commercial travellers Club for the hospital ship. Mr. Allen, not to be outdone, made this announcement. "Just before I came down from my office I had a telephone message from the Salvation Army that they wished to present us with two motor ambulances. I have informed them that we havo more motor ambulances, almost, than we know what to do with, and that they should apply tho money to other purposes. I recommended comforts for tho sick and wounded."

A Word to the Nurses. Mr. Allen informed tho nurses that he believed tlie.y were to go to Egypt or Malta. For the transport of the sick and wounded to tho baso hospitals, New Zealand was fitting out a hospital ship. It was the desire of His Excellency tho Governor that the New .Zealand ship should go away better fitted up than any other hospital ship in tho world, and tho Transport Board, who were working with Dr. Collins, had all the infeimillion at hand to enable them to carry out liis Excellency's wish. On tho ship would bo ten nurses. Whether those would be taken from tho 100 already announced as going he did not know. That would depend on what the, Minister in Charge of Hospitals reported as to whether any more nurses could bo spared from New Zealand or not. For, of course, our New Zealand hospitals would have to ho carried on. Perhaps somo of our women who had had nursing experience would return to the work, and a greater number of our young girls would volunteer for service in tho hospitals. Hp would suggest to those nob able to go to tho Trout lhat this was a sacrifice they might, make. Of Ihe nurses in tli« eoniingent he <said lie wys sure lhat I hoy

would uphold the honour of .Vow Zealand. They were going to do the noble work of earing fo;- the wounded. They would give to tho sick and wounded all (hi tender -if which theT capable, and jJ( iL tJtould happan that