HOW OUR SOLDIERS ARE CARED FOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 32, 1 November 1918, Page 2

HOW OUR SOLDIERS ARE CARED FOR

W.N.R. GATHERING. Yesterday afternoon one of the monthly social gatherings for the mothers of our fighting men, organised by !fio Honorary Division of the Women's National Hesorvc, was held in tlio Town Hall. There was a good attendance of mothers, although, owing to unfavourable weather, not so large as on other occasions. Tho president .(.Mrs. G. W. Russell) welcomed tho mothers upon their arrival in the hall. A brief musical programme was given, Mrs.<. Kenned; nnd Miss Sullivan 'contributing songs, and Miss Beryl Etirlo playing tho piano. During the course of the afternoon a most interesting talk was given by Mrs. liineton Parkes About matters of muoh interest to mothers, in which she told them all eorls of things about their boys, how they were cared for at Homo, and of the good opinions that they had won tor themselves- fe'oni the people thoro. From the moment that Mrs. Parkes told her hearers that she, too, had sons at the war, one who had been through Gnllipoli and was inow somewhere about Damascus, and another boy with tho Now Zealanders, 6he was, metaphorically speaking, taken to their hearts and her words were listened to with rapt attention.

The intense interest that was nronsed when the New Zenlanders made their first appearance in the streets of London, and tho great discussions that followed about their headgear, so different from tho hate worn by any other troops, were described, and Mrs. Parkes told of the great disapproval that was .-xpressed cf the British climate. Much admiratiou was expressed by the speaker of the excellent work that had 'been done by the New Zealand Government in caring-for our men, .and of the work of tho New Zealand women who worked in the hostels, canteens, etc., and gave an atmosphere of home to these places. The hostel in Russell Square, and the way in which it was managed, were described, and Mrs. Parkes told hor hearers that no matter. - at what hour of the day or night the men arrived there they wore always sure of getting a meal. Much admiration was expressed of the card indexing system which was followed out in connection with our men, by means of which any inquirer could get information about a friend or relative, and learn to which hospital he was sent, and various other helpful items of news. The voric of tho War Contingent Association was also highly spoken of.

Mrs. Parkes had also visited the New Zealand hospitals at Home, and these, she said, had been fitted inp by the Now Zealand Government, so that they were second to none. Wallon-on-Thamcs she described as being one of the nicest hospitals she had ever visited, and its situation in spacious beautiful grounds .by the Thames was delightful. Tho words woro large, airy, and bright, aud witli New Zealand doctors and nurses (o care for them their boys had everything done for them that was possible.. Another hospital that Mrs. Parkes visited was tiio one at Oatlands Park, and it was there that the limbless men wcro ecni. • Wonderful work was being done in regard to tho training of these men for fresh occupations, since in many cases their disabilities had made it impossible for them to continue with their former work. At the training school they were learning shorthand, typewriting, _ carpentering, bootmakiug, poultry farming, etc'. It was wonderful to seo how cheerful they all were, and how happy. At Walton she found the men preparing for an exhibition of needlework, and they were all greatly excited .about it.' Some of their work was beautifully done, and would havo done credit to an expert, needle, woman. It was impossible for the people in this country to realise the'war as tho peoplo at Home realised it, because »o did not seo tho boys as ihey came from the trenches, all covered with mud, laden, as Bruce Bairnsfather described it, "like a bloomin' Santa Claus," with the hundred aud one things belonging to their outfit, and with all the visible signs of the experiences' they had been through. Her voyage to Now Zealand on a troopship was amusingly described, aud ,Mrrs. Parkes ended with the hope that the mothers would very soon be welcoming their boys back to their homes again. A hearty vote of thanks was proposed by Mrs. W. P. Massey, who said they Had every reason to be proud of their hoys, who had proved themselves worthy descendants of the men and women who had test peopled this country and had shown to the overseas people that Now Zealand had built up a race worthy of the Mother Country to which it belonged. It was not only when they were fighting or when in hospital that their soldiers needed their care and help, but they needed it, too, when they came back again, and she was sure that the women would not fail them ihon, but would continue to work for their welfare.

The singing of tho National Anthem concluded the afternoon.