NURSES’ SERVICE IN SPAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 7

NURSES’ SERVICE IN SPAIN

REPLY TO MAYOR OF WESTPORT

SECRETARY’S COMMENT

[ Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Feb. 10

The attitude of the Mayor of Westport, Mr. J. Kilkenny, and his criticism of the two New Zealand nurses who recently returned from service in Spain, was commented upon by Mr. G. E. Jackson, national secretary of the Spanish medical aid committee, which was responsible for raising funds to send the nurses overseas.

In a statement published on Ftiday Mr. Kilkenny said he had definitely refused to take the chair at a meeting to be held in Westport, at which addresses would be given by Sister M. Shadbolt and Nurse 1. Dodds on their experiences in Spain. “I am surprised at the attitude adopted by the Mayor,” said Mr. Jackson, “and his criticism of the two nurses who have recently returned from Spain. To compare the conditions and medical services of New Zealand and Spain shows a lack of intimate knowledge of the conditions prevailing in either country.” For all practical purposes, continued Mr. Jackson, New Zealand was in the happy position of having a doctor at every street corner in its towns. In Spain the upheaval and turmoil in civic conditions consequent upon the war were such that although doctors and nurses came from practically every country in the world the lack of medical facilities was still deplorably acute. Suffering of People. “It was from a knowledge of those conditions and with a view to assisting in the relief of those needs that the two nurses left their jobs in New Zealand and gave their services voluntarily in alleviating some of the people’s suffering,” added Mr. Jackson. “The Mayor is inconsistent in his claim of ‘upholding the principle that charity begins at home’ when he considers that it would be a fine gesture for New Zealanders to offer their services in humanitarian work across the Tasman in alleviating the death and destruction caused by bush fires. The tragedy occurred about the time the nurses returned to their own country from Spain and, doubtless, had a call been received from Australia it would have found as ready a response from those or other nurses whose primary concern is the relief of a suffering humanity. “It would be tragic were the nursing profession to view the alleviation of a suffering people, as Mr. Kilkenny apparently does, from the viewpoint of nationality alone,” said Mr. Jackson.