A POPULAR OFFICER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 181, 26 April 1919, Page 7

A POPULAR OFFICER

SURGEON-GENERAL HENDERSON

FAREWELL GATHERING AT HEADQUARTERS Representatives of the Headquarters Staff and tho Medical Service gathered at DcfcncQ Headquarters yesterday morning to say farowell to Surgeon-General K. S. F. Henderson, C.8., K.H.8., Direc-tor-General of Medical Services, who is about to return to tho United Kingdom. Tho Minister of Defence (Sir .lames Al--len) and tho Commandant of the Forces (Major-General Sir Alfred Robin) were present. Tho military forces and tho medical men who have been connected with tho Defence Department during the war wero strongly represented. Major-General Sir .Alfred Uobin said that, during the last three years and a half Surgeon-General Henderson had held a very important position in connection with (he military forces of' New Zealand. 110 had worked strenuouslv in organising and building up the medicaj, fervices. General Henderson had achiey-. Ed success during a period of great strain and his colleagues on the Headquarters Staff wcro very sorry indeed that tho time had come for him to return to England. The Minister of' Defence said that be was parting with/ (Icnei'iil Henderson with very great regret. General Henderson had come to New Zealand and taken the post of Direclor-Gonernl of Modicnl ■Services at a time when great difficulties faced the Defence Department, and ho had quickly made his influence felt. It had been a great, relief to the Minister of Defence and the Government to know that they had at the head of the mili* tary medical service an officer who pos* sessed tho gifts that General Henderson possessed—the knowledge, the . .experience, and the personality which'wore so necessary in the discharge, of his duties. General Henderson's task had been a difficult one, and had been successfully carried out. He tendered to him tho thanks of the Government, of himself, and of the people of New Zealand for the very valuable .services he had rendered on their behalf. He wished him a, pleasant voyage, and said -that in his well-earned rest ho would have the consolation of knowing that tho services lie had rendered to the Empire wero appreciated, and especially thelservices he had rendered to this country of New.Zealand'. (Applause.) 1

Dr. Elliott paid a tribute to tlio Direc-tor-Goneral of Medical Services on behalf of the medical men of the city. He said that General Henderson canjo to New Zealand at a moment of almost overwhelming trouble, when the rapid growth of the military forces' and the organisation of_ big training camps had creatcd difficulties such as the Dominion had not previously faced. His work had been quickly., effective. His . unfailing tact, constant courtesy and quiet determination, with the knowledge based upon long years of. experience in the service of the Umpire, had been of the greatest benefit to. New Zealand and to the medical service of the Dominion's Army. The medical service during tlio war had attained an importance not previously approached, and, tjie medical men had been required to bear new burdens. General Henderson's- directions, advice and assistance had been simply invaluable. The general had'brought himself into close touch with the civilian members of the' profession, and'the medical men in uniform and out of it Wanted him to know how much they were indebted to him for his friendship and for the sympathetic help l;e had always given. They felt that during the last three years and a halfGeneral Henderson had raised the status of the medical profession in New Zealand.. His fellow workers regarded him with respect, and also with affection. Dr. Elliott added that in France ho had heard General Henderson described as "one of God's good men." Ho believed that the men .who had worked with the General in New Zealand fully endorsed those words.

Dr. Elliott then handed to SurgeonGeneral Henderson, on behalf of the people represented at the gathering, several gifts, including a. gold cigarette case, a gold sovereign case, and several greenstone mementoes. ' ,

General Henderson, in reply, said that' ho felt it most difficult to express his appreciation of the generous things that had been said that day and of the extraordinary kindness that had .always been shown to liim in New Zealand. Ho had been 1 many years away from England, but when ho camo to New Zealand ho found himself 'in. England again. Ho ■ had found people of the same language and the same instincts, with the same institutions and the same loyalty. Ho, had been specially impressed with the very great loyalty' of the- members of the medical profession in this country. It had been a privilege to. work with men Swho were always ready to do their utmost in the cause of the nation, and always ieady' to take advice. Tho members of the medical service had passed through troublous times during tho war, but their efforts had been crowned -ivitli success. They had recognised that they had to- see tho war through and they had stuck to their jobs. Ho could say that ho had never asked the members of the service to do any work, civil or military, that had not been dono before, and! lie 'had never failed to receive the cordial .support and co-operation without which success would havo been unattainable. General Henderson added that ho wished to acknowledge the assistance he had received from the Now Zealand branch of the, British Medical Association, from the scientific sections of the New Zealand TJrfTversity, from the Health Department, and from manv other persons with whom lie had been brought into contact; He would never forget his association with New Zealand, and lie. would value' the gifts very highly.-