MRS: ABBOTT'S VISIT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 90, 9 January 1918, Page 2

MRS: ABBOTT'S VISIT

RECEPTION AT PIONEER CLUB,

A very pleasant little reception in honour of Airs. Abbott, who is lecturing on behalf of the Scottish Women's Hosi pitols, was given by Lady Stout at the Pioneer Club yesterday afternoon. Owing to tho holidays many prominent pcoplo were absent, but the gathering though small was a very representative ono, and included a number of men. Amongst those present were Mrs. Luke, the Mayoress, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Ponsonby, and her sister, Mrs. T. Ward, Mrs. Molineaux and Miss L. Molineaux, Mrs. Sommerville, Mrs. Harveson, Mrs. Rolleston, Mrs. Stott, Mrs. Corrigau, and tho Misses Coates, M'Gregor (2), Ewarfc, Holmes, Halsc, Chapman, M'Lean, Muir (Christchurch), and Sir Robert Stout, General Henderson, Dr. Newman, Dr. 1 Gibb, the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, the R«v. J. Kennedy Elliott, the Hon. T. W. Hislop, and Mr. Stott. Apologies for absence were received from tho Right Hon. W. F. Massoy and Mrs. Massey, Sir William and Miss Fraser, the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald and Mrs. Mac Donald, Sir Francis Bell., the Hon. J. A. Hanan, Judge Chapman and Mrs. Chapman, Dr. Ewart and Mrs. Ewart, and several others. In a short but very interesting little speech Mrs. Abbott said that she did not intend to dwell upon the excellent work done by tho Scottish Women's Hospitals in France, Serbia, Salonika, and Monastir. She would deal with it at her lecture on Wednesday night. She would only say that these hospitals wore run entirely by women with a maximum of achievement and a minimum of expense. "These hospitals," said the lecturer, "have not been dumped down here, there, and everywhere, but always at the request of the people of the country." The hospitals were increasing in numbers and in scope, and further increase depended on tho contributions of the people of the Empire. ■ Mrs. Abbott'mentioned that a short stay in India had resulted in the magnificent sum of £28,000 being added to the funds. In Australia, too, the response to her appeal had been most gouorous. At one centre she had asked for £7000 and had been given £SOOO. General Henderson, in his speech, eulogised the splendid work the Scottish women were doing, especially in Serbia, whero a personal friend of his had been in charge of a hospital and had written most interesting letters about tha work of tho medical men' and women there. As an instance of tho thoroughness of their methods, the General said that the medical men held up the whole railway system of Serbia for 48 houi'3 during a terrible outbreak of typhus. At every station huge vats of disinfectants were in readiness, and every Serbian was dipped, "nolens volens,"

before he was allowedio enter a railway carriage. ' ° Lady Stout, who only spoke for a very lew minutes, said that the Pioneer Uub had been working hard for Dr Agnes Bennett's fund for Serbian hospitals for a long time. Tho club had already raised sufficient money to buy and equip an ambulance for Serbia. She also hoped that everyone present would attend the lecture and bring all their friends.