CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2142, 22 June 1920, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir. —In your issue of the 17th instant 1 noticed in your account of the opening of the Catholic Bazaar that the Rev. Father Forrestall is credited witli saying that the only thanks bis Church got for their work during the 1918 epidemic was from the local Labour Party, which to my mind is much like patting himself on the back, so to speak. Well, Sir, in your issue of 5/4/1918 there appeared the copy of a letter to the Mayor from (he Hon. G. \\. Russell, who was Minister of Health during that period, and which is sufficient answer to the misleading statement bv Father Forrestall, and which I would like yon to re-publish: — An Appreciation. —The Mayor, Mr John Chrystall, has received

the following letter oi thanks from the Hon. G. M. Russell, Minister for Public Health: —“I desire to express the thank.- of the Government to yourself, the governing bodies, and the people of your city, town, and district for the assistance rendered during the.recent world-wide epidemic. The Government recognises that the self-sacrifice and heroism of the people, in co-operation with the hospital authorities, the Army Medical Service, the medical profession, the nurses, the voluntary workers, and the Public Health Department, combated the disease , with vigour and sum-ess, the result being that ihough severe the visitations was of short duration. It therefore tenders its sincere thanks to all who assisted, and gratefully recognises the unflinching courage and devotion displayed by all classes during the sad days through which the Dominion, in common with other countries, passed during the passage of the epidemic over our connin'. The Government aRo thankfully recognises Hie generositv of (hose who assisted with voluntary contributions of money and goods, and in other ways for the benefit of the relief funds nec-

essitated by the epidemic.’’ In closing, 1 read also that the action of his particular church in doing some action was against some tenets of his faith. Will he say that the Lowly Xamu'ene diserimmaled in His work among the sick and afflicted ? —Yours, etc., M. [IX reference to the above, we should like to point out that the splendid services of the mins during the dreadful epidemic was brought under the notice of the District Hospital Board and the Department by the local representative. as also were the services of others, and special thanks were ordered lo lie conveyed to them. A notice to this effect was published in the “Herald" by the Hospital Board, under dale December 21st, IDIB. Special appreciative references were also made publicly by the Mayor and Councillors at the lime. The names of all who assisted were obtained under instructions from the Minister of Public Health, with a view to issuing certificates, but the proposal was abandoned owing to adverse public opinion. We can assure the Lev. father Forres!all that the governing authorities were not insensible ot the heroic work done by the nuns personally, and for the free use of the school as a temporary hospital during the epidemic. — Ed.H.]