EXTENDED TOUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 September 1943, Page 3

EXTENDED TOUR

OF HOSPITALS AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS MRS ROOSEVELT IN AUCKLAND. ADDRESS TO GREAT GATHERING OF WOMEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 2. Yet another crowded day of hospital tours and receptions was spent cheerfully and tirelessly today by Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt. In four hospitals she spoke collectively to thousands of Americans and New Zealanders. She greeted and chatted with hundreds of individual service men and civilians. She inspected the meat canning department of a freezing works. ;She visited the Devonport Naval Base, called at the Women’s Services Club, attended a dinner as the guest of American army officers and concluded her day by addressing a great • gathering of Auckland women. “I never imagined that things had gone'- so far,”, said Mrs Roosevelt in commenting upon the construction 01. American hospitals and other buildings in New Zealand, during her visit to a partly-finished naval hospital. •■The civilians are doing a wonderful job of work.” She also praised the work of the Medical Corps for theii care of sick and injured men. “This is a lovely place,” she commented on her .arrival at a huge army hospital which has been built in a city park. Two hours were spent by Mrs Roosevelt in a seemingly endless journey from ward to ward and from . bed to bed. After luncheon in the patients’ mess Mrs Roosevelt went on to a naval receiving barracks in another park. The most colourful event in the day’s programme was Mrs Roosevelt’s drive through the Auckland hospital grounds and her visit to New Zealand patients in the Domain Auxiliary Hospital. Intense interest in the work of the women and girls employed in canning meat for the American and New Zealand forces at the Westfield Freezing Company’s works was shown by Mrs Roosevelt. Later Mrs Roosevelt visited the Devonport Naval Base and inspected parades of Wrens and civilian women personnel.