AOTEA HOME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 176, 21 April 1919, Page 2

AOTEA HOME

A GREAT WORK. In addition to a large numbor of soldiers, tlio Kaikoura, which arrived in the stream on Good Friday, brought back from Egypt three of the members of the Aotea Convalescent Home at Heliopolis, an institution, for'wjiich soldiers, not only from New Zealand, will have very grateful recollections. Since 1915 (over three and a half years) the members of the staff have been caring for soldiers who have lieon fighting in that part of the world, and what their ministrations have meant to weary, war-worn, and convalescing men, only they can fully tell. The throe who returned last week were Sister Booth, Mrs. Wilder (nee Miss M'Laren), and Mrs. Upham (neo Miss Cameron). The other members of the staff were the matron, Miss Early, Sister Hughes, Miss Macdonell, and the Misses Maedonald (2), eight in all, with the addition of'Sergeant-Major Sleight, who ooted as quartermaster, and—Steward, the oook, a tower of strength. They are expected to return to New Zealand later on.

In the course of conversation with Mrs. Upham, some extent of .the work might be gathered from the fact that over GOOO men passed through the home, that is, wore inmates for a certain period of timo, it might be for a week, a fortnight, or in some cases longer, and that number was quite exclusive of the men who. called in at the homo in passing and received its hospitality. Australian, British Tommy, or New Zealnnder, to all alike its Jjospitablo doors.were widely opened. At the time of greatest stress the homo was able to accommodate about 2CO men at once, whoso sleeping tjnarters were mostly in tents erected in the grounds all around the main building. With golf; tennis, cricket, to say, nothing of indoor facilities for. recreation, the convalescents found much to amuse themselves with, and sometimes wero content to spend tho whole of their leave, there without going into Cairo once. Later on a branch of Aotea was established at Port Said, whoro tho men were able to get sea bathing, which greatly helped their convalescence, and of course with this extension of activities it was possible to tako in a much larger nuinber at once. Throughout the whole of their time in Egypt the staff remained the same in personnel. Natives (Sudanese) were employed for the rough work, and on the whol'o were quite satisfactory. One of the activities of the home which met a great need was the sending of parcels of comforts to men who were "on trek," or who were stationed, in places romoto from tho ordinary lines of communication. That it was possiblo to do this was owing to the funds and supplies of goods received from friends and supporters in . New Zealand. The latter's assistance also largely , supplemented the isstio of Army rations. allotted to tho homo itself, which would havo been quite insumiuent without this aid. As is well ■ known, it was private enterprise that brought "Aotea" into existence and private- enterprise, in the way of ever-ready funds, and unlimited supplies of goods from New Zealand (particylarly tho North Island), that kept it going, and made it what'many here have heard tho soldiers describe as "a homo away from homo." "I don't think people in New Zealand quite realise how hard a time tho men in Egvpt and Palestine havo had," said Mrs. 'Upham. "Tho fighting' may not have been so constant at it has been, say, in France, but then it has to be remembered that tiie men there had spells when they were withdrawn, and others were sent to take their places. That did not happen with the mounted men. They had those long, dreary treks across tho sand, days of unbearable heat and thirst, sand everywhere around them, choking them sometimes, and always and forever tho seven plagues of Egypt. If you never realised beforo w"hat it was costing you realised it after they had been through tho Jordan Valley, where men went down like flies, dying of thirst, dying of malaria. It was impossible to compare tho fighting in Europe with tho fighting in Egypt. Both were so different and both had their terrible hardships in altogether different ways. Before leaving Egypt Mrs. Upham visited Jerusalem, as did 'the other members of the staff, four at a time. It was a long, weary, dusty journey, but well worth it all, and of course all tho places of such interest'to the. Christian world, including the Mount of Olives (seen at sunrise),' the Stations of the. Cross, and the' Garden of Gethsemane were visited. Hut for ( nntowar<l circumstances, Mrs. Upham would also havo gone.to Bethlehem. It is interesting 'to learn that the members of tho Aotea staff havo been presented each with a gold badge, the design consisting of a plain centre the size and shape of n sovereign, on which i'lo words "Aotea Convalescent Home are inscribed, whilo encircling it on the outside are two fern leaves. Tho Ctiillipoli ribbon with the medal to follow %ns also been awarded them, nn honour which all will agree has been thoroughly itnd uniquely earned.