WITH OUR WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2587, 8 October 1915, Page 2

WITH OUR WOUNDED

HOW THEY ARE f SEATED IN ENGLAND ; INTERVIEW WITH MR. J. B. REID Mr. J. B. Reid, of Ellerslic Station and stud, South Canterbury, returned from a visit to England and America yesterday by tho Moana. Mr. Reid was successfully treated for rheumatism ill London, but had the misfortune to catch a chill in New York, which induced a return of the trouble. Whilst in England Mr. Reid made it his business to see, how the New Zealand wounded are being treated in tfae Old Country and lie returns full of. praise of what' the New Zealand War Contingents' Association is doing. He explains that this association has as its president' the High Commissioner (t'he lion. Tlios. Mackcnze), with Lord Plunket as chairman, and Mr. Waldegrave, secretary of tho executive, and Lady Islington chairwoman of the Ladies' Committee. -The association has its offices in tho same' building as tho High Commissioner, and its business is to keep in touch with our boys wherever they may .be, and see that t'hey want for nothing. All day long soldiers on leave or convalescent make tlieir way to these offices to read the papers from "down under," and confide tlieir little troubles to the officers. There ara cases, too, wliich do not require hospital treatment, which are given attention by some London doctors, with whom arrangements have been made! One of the branch works of the association is the beautiful hospital at .Walton, a. superh English country home, onco the .residence of the Tankevilles, and more recently, he believed, of Mr. Thomas Cook, of Thos. Cook and Sons, the tourist agents. This beautiful place was situated between Walton-on-Thames and Hampton Court, one of the most beautiful of all the beautiful places on the banks of t'he Thames. The hospital has a lovely park of from IS to i 20 acres, with a long frontage to the I rivor, and .is" planted with tho most perfect specimens of English trees, in- ' oluding some magnificent chestlnuts, which afford I pimple shade for' the tennis and croquet players among tho convalescent. The house/is a very large one, with'five airy- reception rooms,, a concert hall, billiard room, an 1 operatlii" theatre, and dentists chamber— all on the ground floor. In fact, everything is .provided as for a perfectlyequipped hospital. Even the beds are made so that . they may be conveniently carried 'out through '■ the large double French windows to shady spots on the lawn. The medical staff is under the control of Dr. Bernard Myers; a. brother of the Hon. Arthur Myers, and a distinguished London surgeon.

'It is only necessary to state," said Mr. lteid, "that Nurse TomJjs, for merly of Duiiedin, is matron of the hospital to satisfy the parents of every Aew Zealand soldier who'goes to Walton that everything is in perfect order and as clean as hard work can make it. I'here is a kitchen and porcclain baths on each floor and I do -not think that even any zealous member of Parliament could find anything for adverse criticism in connection with the hospital. ':' 1 "I don't think Now Zealand can bo sufficiently grateful to Lordl iiijd Lady Plunket for all they havo done, and are' doing, for our boys. They have, giveh .lip their lioihg in Loud on iii order to live close to the hospital at ,Walton', Lord Plunket's: sister and daughters are working in the hospital as servants. Lady Plunket visits-the.place every day to inquire if anything can, bo done for the jratients, and Plunket . divides his time between the office in town and the hospital. » ..,-"l'cannot remember the names of all the ladies who are helping; but,-there ;is 3s!Ss<>mbs,, .the. of Dunediii; Miss .Thoinpaoa,vof J3alclutha : : Miss;; Bu'ckland; ■ of f\Waik6uaitnJj i-Miss Hni't, of Ashburtory of Riccartoii,- aThwfeV are,'afwfiys'Vpeople ready\to"-place tlieir/motbr'-carsi.'at' the i disposal convalescentsAivho to take, the air. The High Coniiriigsioner' is .-untiring in his efforts .011. behalf/of the wounded, and goes long distances at all hours of the day and night to see them safely: billeted at hospitals at a distance from London." Before leaving England, Mr. JReid had the pleasure of taking sixty -of Now Zealand's wounded .to see the great stud at Hampton Court,' and the boys, who wero all treated with the utmost care, had a great day.