Nurses from the War.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 509, 23 August 1902, Page 4

Nurses from the War.

CHAT WITH SISTER GOULD. THE DRAYTON GRANGE AND MONTROSE. Everyone has heard of Sister Gould, the superintendent of the N.S.W. Army Nursing Service Reserve. She left Sydney for the Cape on January 17, 1900, with the Second Contingent, and returned by the Montrose. A representative of tho Australian Star interviewed her at St. Phillip’s Rectory, Wynyard-squaro, where she is staying as the guest of the Archdeacon Langley. Sister Gould is a lady of interesting personality. She has a cleanout face of classic mould, and eyes whose natural softness has been intensified by many weary vigils by tho bedside of the sick. She was at Durban just about the time when the Drayton Grange left. “ Tell mo all you know,” said tho representative.

“ Well,” she said, “ I was thero at the time, but they only put healthy men on board tho Drayton Grange, you see, and all tho sick were put on tho Montrose. Wo came along by the Montrose, and I left that vessel at Melbourne last Friday evening, and she went on to New Zealand. I arrived in Sydney last Sunday morning, and perhaps I should not havo got hero thon but for Sir AVilliam Lyne's kindness.”

“ AVhy, what did he do ? ” “ AVell, you see, our tickets only carried us to Albury. The authorities in Melbourne had said that they would wire through and make it all right thero. But when we got to the border town there was a hitch, and hut for tho fact that Sir AVilliam was in the train we should havo been left. As it was, he assured the officials that it was sure to bo all right, and we were allowed to come along.”

“ And what about the Montrose : Sister ? ”

“ Oh, so far as the Montrose was concerned, I can only say this, that we were most kindly treated, and received every attention from everybody concerned. AVe bad some measles on board, but there was plenty of room for the patients, and 1 heard tho men say more thun once that tho food was very good. The hospital accommodation was ample, too, and it was a very clean ship.” “ Now, tell me,” said the representative, what you know about tho Drayton Grange.” “ AVell,” replied Sister Gould, with a smile, “ 1 know this, that tho men who sailed in her were healthy when they started, because the P.M.O. told me so.” " But that is hearsay evidence, Sister.” “ True, but you see I received orders to proceed by tho Drayton Grange, and I should have sailed in her but for tho fact that thero was some difficulty about our luggage. Other nurses and I came down to join tho Drayton Grange, and when wo got to the port of embarkation wo found that stops had not been taken for bringing down our luggage. AVo asked the reason and were told that it did not much matter, as wo would have to go by tho next boati It was then said that thero were no invalids aboard the Drayton Grange. We found that there was no accommodation for Sisters on the Drayton Grange, so tho boat really had no Sisters. There was nobody on board qualified to nurse. Certainly they had stretcher-bearers, but they are not' nurses.”

“Of course you saw Colonel McCormack ? What did ho say ? ” “A week before the Drayton Grange sailed ho told me that in future Sisters would bo going by every transport, and he sent for us to go..by the Drayton Grange, but then, it appears, he got word from the transport officer that there was no acommodation for Sisters on that ship, as there were some extra officers and men for whom they had to provide. But he also said that it would not matter much, because there were no invalids going by the Drayton Grange. Colonel McCormack,” added Sister Gould, “is a very business-like and enthusiastic officer.” “ They sent all the Australian and Now Zealand nurses, five in number, by the Montroso, which carried all the invalids,” sho added. “ Then I take it. Sister, that you mean to say that in the Montrose was a collection of all the sick, and that the authorities placed all the nurses aboard that vessel, believing that their services would not be required elsewhere ?" “ Quito so. Of course, there were eleven nurses altogether, but somo went away in twos and twos by other boats.” “ Well, Sister Gould,” interrogated the Star representative, “ you have heard about the allegations made concerning the Drayton Grange ?" 11 Yes.”

“ As you occupy a quasi-public position perhaps you would not care to make any public statement, even if you could ?” “ No,” replied Sister Gould. “ But, as a mattor of fact, I know nothing, not having been on board. All I can say is that from what I saw and heard at Durban the Drayton Grange left there with a company every man of whom at the time of starting was healthy.” " And that is why they took no nurses '?” “ Exactly.” Sister Gould, with a little persuasion, next related something about her experiences at the seat of war. “ How did you like it'?” asked her interviewer. “ Oh,” she replied, pulling her scarlet cape more closely round her shoulders, we had hard work, but I would not havo missed it for the world. We felt wo were useful, and the Army Medical Corps were very good to the Australian nurses —as, indeed, they were good, very good, to all xVustralasians.” “ Would you like to go again ?” “ Oh, dear, no 1 No more war,” with a little shrug of the shoulders. “ War is a dreadful thing. Of course, if there were another war, we nurses would go at once. Ail the same, war is very dreadful.”