N.Z. NATIVES, ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2518, 20 July 1915, Page 2

N.Z. NATIVES, ASSOCIATION

HOSPITALS AND SOLDIERS. At a meeting of tho New Zealand Natives' Association which was held on July 14 (Dr. Newman, M.P., presiding), a resolution was passed to tho effect that, a ladies' guild be formed in connection with the society to undertako to visit the sick and wounded soldiers in t'lie various . hospitals, and, where possible, provide thorn with luxuries, and also get into communication with their relatives and roport progress from time to timo to them. The following committee was set up' with power to add to their numbers:—Mrs. MlVicar; chairwoman; members, Mcsdames Wret ford, E. Morris, 0. Morris, F. Cooper, !J. Winder, E. Furness (secretary), L. George, Russell, and the Misses I"., D., and S. Russell, Mesdames . Mansfield, Menard, Avery, Swinburne, Meiers, C. Ousack, Barr,, W. Watson, Hetiry W. Smith, Hurrell,, Purdom, D. M'Laren, Elliff, Putter,' J. Grant, Sir Edward and Lady Gibbes, Mesdames Barnes, Wright (Tinakori Road), 11. Coull, Richards, Chant, Pike, Meiers, A. Campbell (Island Bay), Stouebank ; Edward, Nurse Major, Mrs. Qumlan, Misses ICirk, Drako, C. E. Carsonson, Gilchrist, Sinclair, Scott, B. George, Coombe, Onyon. Betty Purdom, Elliff, Flitter, EUitf (George tuid George), I. Grant, Mrs. Mageff, end Mrs. T. E. Jones. At the meeting of the Ladies' Guild of the' New Zealand Natives' Association, held in the Nat ; ves' Hall yestorday afternoon,, and presided over by Mrs. M'Viear, Mr. C. M'lntyre, - the Secretary of the Natives' Association,read letters from tie Hon. the Premier, the Hon. James Allen, Minister of Defence, the Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Minister of Public Health and Hospitals, and from the Mayor, Mr. J. P. Luke, in which the fullest sympathy and interest, as well as all possible co-operation, was expressed with the movement.' Apologies for tlieir absence wero sent by Lady Gibbes, Mis. C'null, and Miss Coatcs. Mr. M'lntyre then proceeded to explain the lines upon which tho Natives' Association would like tho co-operation I of tho Ladies' Guild. The mainspring of action would bo the forming of subcommittees iu tho vicinity of tho various hospitals in which the sick and wounded soldiers wero placed, and each committee would be responsible) for the visiting and the supplying of luxuries and comforts to its soldier inmates. In this way they hoped to guard against pmips ov.er. .ip* BtJk,

same time to do away with overlapping. Regular reports were to bo handed 111 to tlio chairwoman, Mrs. M'Viear, and

whatever was needed for tho comfort of the soldiers would be brought under her notice. If there were any other societies intending to carry on similar work it was hoped that tli'ey would co-

operate with the Natives' Association, so that tho wholo thing might be placed on a systematic basis, and each body could luiow what the other- body was doing. There were,'of course, hospital rules and regulations to be observed, and if at any time there appeared to bo matters in which improvement might seem necessary, there were always the proper authoritative cliannols through which representations should be made, not through outside bodies or powers, (is ho was sure tho Hospital authorities would bo pleased to do their utmost, in such matters. Another important matter which would mean much to the persons chiefly concerned would be the communication to tho relatives of tho soldiers in hospital l'rom time to time of

tho condition of the invalids, so that although not able, perhaps, to be near them in person, they yet would know how tho latter were progressing. Through Miss Betty Purdom and Mr. Gulford Bell an entertainment committee was being organised, so that whenever concert parties were to be arranged all that would have to bo done would be to apply to either of the two. just mentioned. . An. instance of tho way ia which these entertainments wero valued was shown by tho letter, received from

Major Mackenzie in acknowledgment of ■ the concert which was given by the association on board tho Willochra for tho-men who were too ill to leave tho ship for the Town Ilall, where their welcomo was held, and which they so greatly appreciated. The following wero appointed chairwomen of the respective sub-committces set up to organise visiting, etc., in regard to the hospitals apiwrtioned to their charge:—Mrs. Cooper, 73 Marioribanks Street, the General Hospital; Miss Drake, Clifton Terrace, tho Bowen Street Hospital; Mrs. Meier, the Thorndon Hospital; Lady Gibbes, tho Oriental Bay Hospital. Every Monday committee meetings will be held in t'he Natives' Hall to report progress.