NURSES' MEMORIAL FUND.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 4

NURSES' MEMORIAL FUND.

In our yesterday 's issue appeared some extra,cts from the annual report submitted by the committee operating the New Zealand Nurses ' Memorial Fund. In dt the feeling is expressed that, if the objects of the fund were only more widely known, greater public support would be forthcoming for it. We can scarcely but think that in this there is a very great deal of truth, for,, locally at any rate, this is a fund as to which only a relative few are aware of its «xistence, let alone any public appeal being made for aid in support of it. As we understand the position, this fund was instituted for the l>urpose of rendering financial assistance to such of our war-time nurses as might be in need of it. There should be no purpose that could moreclosely touch a sympathetic chord • than tbis among all those who can recall the splendid and heroic service that was so spontaneously rendered by these devoted women all through the long years and horrors of the Great War. Many of them are no doubt now feeling the effects of the physical, nervous and mental strain and of the dangers to which they were exposed and subjected. The reactions may have been long in coming, but they were almost inevitable, and the least the people of this country can do is to furnish funds wherewith t6 ease the lot of those among them who are without resources of their own. The committee 's report shows that the means available to them are far from adequate to enable them to grant anythmg like the fuill relief demanded by many of the cases brought or likely to be brought before them, and, of course, as time and age creep on these demands are likely to be only the more urgent. It is preeminently a case in which the necessity should only want to be known for it to meet with a liberal response. There cannot but still be in the hearts of many a deep feeling of gratifcude to those who sacrificed and snffered so much in tending the Avounded and disabled.