Second Edition. New Zealand

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 38, 20 January 1916, Page 6

Second Edition. New Zealand

■■■ '■■■■■■■■ ■'' '■ —— NURSES ON THE MAHENO. HOW THEY TRAVELLED. V j " ; . A criticism appeared recently in the Nursing Times v an English paper, of the cohditipns under which the fifty nurses ■ whp.journeyc-d to England in the Maheno travelled. The criticism was contained in a letter written by a ‘lady journalist, onetime of Wellington, how' Resident in London . “The: nurses travelled as passengers,” said / the writer, “but 'no stewardess ,‘jvas provided for them; in their sickness they' had to wait on themselves. -They were uncomfortably lodegd' iti .ftk’ards where there was no privacy.; tfjdy were asked to set meir own tables Imd wait on themselves, and, sick pi’ well, they had to sweep their wardsii while, until the good sense of one medical officer made him protest, they were actually expected to cleah out their own bathrooms and lavatories. The captain of the ship and his officers did, indeed, do all in- their power to make the voyage pleasant, but the nurses were glad to leave a ship where they had been so wretched.”, k ■. ~, DEFENCE MINISTER’S STATEMENT. “I am astounded,” said the Hon. James;Allen, when the matter was mentioned to him by a Post reporter, “that anyorieishould make even a suggestion shah; the nurses were not properly accommodated. They had a beautifully- fitted up ward for thenquarters/ and plenty of, accommodation, as far as I know, and 1 have not had’a single complaint from any one of them or from anyone else. I don’t believe that any New Zealand Army Nursing Corps nurse would ‘ make any such complaints as .have been made. Even if they, had to be a little’ inconvenienced, they went as some of the soldiers have gone*—to put up with gome inconvenience to get to the front as soon as possible t* do, the work they have to do. .We have made the best provision possible,' and it is not the nurses who are making any complaint. My knowledge of the New Zealand nurses, is that they, would put up with a great deal of inconvenience to have the privilege of serving their country and Empire at this time. It they were here now L would expect , to see an indignant protest at any such suggestion.” TO END THE WAR. RESOLUTION BY HILLSIDE WORKERS.,.,-. The Hillside Railway Workers at Dunedin were addressed by Professor Bedford on the subject of conscription, and resolved that, in the interests of - the people, the Government should take possession of and organise all the men, industries, and wealth of the Dominion, for the juirpose of assisting the nation to successfully and speedily end the war, to provide all the fighting men necessary, and to provide workers to produce the material for outfitting and maintaining the militarv and civilian population, and to provide adequate means for the dependents of the slain or maimed.