THE HOSPITAL SHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1915, Page 7

THE HOSPITAL SHIPS.

THEIR FUTURE MOVEMENTS. CHANGES IN PERSONNEL. His Excellency the Governor has received information that the hospital ship Maheno left Egypt for New Zealand on November 25. Under these circumstances the vessel should arrive in the Dominion about January 3 or 4, 1916. The Imperial Government have further notified the Governor that they greatly appreciate the actiop of the New Zealand Government hi placing both the Mara Bin and Maheno unreservedly at their disposal, and they will see that the best interests of the' New Zealand troops are provided for in arranging their several itineraries. The Secretary of State for War informed his Excellency that he had under consideration a programme whereby two Australian and two New Zealand hospilal ships would be employed on the Aus-tralian-Suez and New Zealand-Suez routes respectively, but that this course would not interfere with the employment of the Tassels in the Mediterranean. In deciding the plan for employment of these vessels, the Array Council, however, must be primarily guided by the numbers of sick and wounded which have got to he transported back to Australasia, and which the Imperial Government desire carried back at the earliest opportunity. The Army Council has arranged the wounded and sick inte three classes, the first "bsing those who are able to return in empty transports, and the other two those to he brought back in hospital ships. From experience it has been found essential that there shall bo two personnels available for each hospital ship, relieving one another at periods of approximately six months. By this method the ships are always kept at the maximum state of efficiency. Surgeon-General Henderson desires to say that this is the course which is usually adopted and most essential for the efficiency of all hospital ships. The work on hospital ships is very strenuous, and it is absolutely necessary that the whole staff should always be iit and in theii top form. Already in the Mui lieno there have been some eases of illness among the personnel—not serious cases, but pointing to the strain which has been placed on the nurses and men. In practice it has been found desirable on rocommissioiiing to let the old personnel have the opportunity of resuming their civil occupations until again required, but if there are any men who desire to continue their duties, arrangements have already been made as to their employment until they resume their positions on the hospital ships.. In any ease leave will be given to the men on the return of each ship. The New Zealand Government, through his- Excellency the Governor, nsked the Imperial Government if it was their intention to keep the Maheno in the Mediterranean until the arrival of the Marama, or longer, and received a reply that such a course would not be convenient or suitable, and that the Army Council preferred that the curriculum as arranged should be adhered to, and therefore gave directions for the Mnhenn to proceed to \ T ew Zealand at once with sick and wounded. The Governor desires to pluce on record the fact that he has received numerous private communications from officials in authority, amongst them one from Field-Marshal Lord Methuen, eulogising the work which has .been accomplished by the Hon. Colonel Collins, the j officers, nurses, and personnel of the ; Maheno.