MISS ROUT'S APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3197, 22 September 1917, Page 5

MISS ROUT'S APPEAL

SUGGESTIONS TO THE GOVEK.V MENT.

London, July 22,

jMiss E. Rout, honorary decretary,, J\e«Zealand Volunteer Sisterhood, .writes as toliows; —

1 am sure the time has now come when luuluie, trained i\ew Zealand wumcii biiould miss on '.lu'ir right to tr.ivel tu tins country, i'or jiwiriy two years .New Zoiiland women have imlicnlly abrogated that right, wliiljl holding ateaclliuitly, iievortduless, to their purpose of ruideriug voiiiplste piitriotic 01-rvice abroad when the opportunity came, i say advisedly now that the opportunity is here. Uut for I lie few only.

.As a result of netli'ly two ytari of war work abroad, after much careful thought and inquiry, .Mis,-? Rout makes the- following suggestions:— 1. the New Zealand Government slitinU now fulfil its promise made to tin; A'ew Zealand women to organise them tur war work, at the conference hold in (lip joint-cornmittte loom,. Parliament Buildings, Wellington, in August, 1915;

2. That fifty Nsw Konlanil women per month bo sent lo England to Teplace New Zealand men and English womm no«' working in New: Zealand military .hospitals and offices: 3. That where thew women are wanted for nursing work, they should rank aa probationers, and half lie selected by tho Red Cros3 Society and half by the St. John Ambulance Astuciation (aJ has been done elsewhere);

i. That the temi of service be two years, or longer as required, or three months after peiica is declared; 5. That the New Zealand Government provide transport and accommodation for the term of two years (or longer), plus personal allowance and uniforms; 6. That the women should be thirty years of age; 7. That any shorthand-typists or bookkeepers tent'should ho qualified by examination held by Public Service Commissioner; 8. That every care should lie taken to see that the women are sound in health and character, a.nd that every woman should pledge herself to uphold the best standards of duly and discipline. T do not mako these snjrgpstions in any dictatorial spirit, but in'the lions that they may prove helpful. All of us abroad are nrofoumlly impressed and inspired by the patient nnd steadfastness of tho women at Home, but -we lons tha-t some of yon mav share with us ;he privilege of service abroad, and we know that your very pre;en.~e here now will tend to make Npw Zealand a better country for all of us in the future. Note.—An official replv received later indicates that there is at present no official record of tho relative number of New Zealand and English women rmployed on Hie female staff, vknural 'Richardson savs there are a large number of New Zealanders among them. '< he remainder, of course, are not New /,ea- ' land women—that is, f he great majority, I understand.—E. A. T?out. The Mercer Street lied Cross Depot will be closed on Monday, Dominion Day. Mrs. '\rthur Myers nnd family, who have been on a holiday to Auckland, have now returned to Wellington. The monthly meeting of (he Wellington Central Union was held yesterday, Mrs. M'Donald presiding. Delegates from tho district union attended, and final arrangements in connection with the WX'.T.U. produce stall at Paddy's Market were made. Members uf the unions, both city and subuvbao, ore requested to forward donations of produce to tho Town Hall on Friday or Saturday morning, Mrs.- Holland (Mayoress of Christchurch) has returned to the south f:om a visit to Wellington. Mrs. Stalham left for the south last evening. Miss Western (Picton) is visiting Wellington. There was a. very big attendance at Mr. A. Boyd'e concert at the.. Sailors' Friend Society last night. With story, eong, recital, and instrumental items tho time passed all too quickly. Encora were freely demanded and freely given. Prizes for tho competitions, . .which proved very popular, were donated by well-wishers. Mr. Moore, missianer, an. nounced that they hoped to entertain the men of the Port Ivembla at the close of the'inquiry. Ho expressed the hope tbat help would be forthcoming to brighten the stay of the men in oiu- port. The performers were;—Tho Mieses Stewart, Sullivan, Haaeldeue, and Warmer, and Messrs. Thompson, Shaddick, Koole, Boyes, Pickett, Hanton, Boyd, Burridge, Lamb, and Daltou. Light refreshments were dispensed at tho close. Cheers rewarded the performers. , Miss Mary Marshall, staff nurse at No. 37 British Hospital, has received postlunious honour in French Army Orders; "A brave nurse, who was the victim of her devotion to duty during an aerial bombardment, of her hospital. "When the enemy aeroplane was signalled she went at. once to the operating room nnd niada all tho needful preparations. She continued her work duriug the inton6o bombardment and was killed at her post." Cabled advice has been received' in Dunedin of the marriage in England of CapUia Fergus, N.Z.M.C, at present on the staff of tho Brockenhurst Hospital, to Sister Gibbon, N.Z.A.N.S., also on the staff of tho eanie hospital.