WELLINGTON WOMEN AND THEIR WORK

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 221, 14 June 1930, Page 20

WELLINGTON WOMEN AND THEIR WORK

MRS. H. MURPHY, M.B.E.

The “Grand Old Lady” of the R.S.A., is how returned soldiers style Mrs. H. Murphy, who ever since the war has made the interests of returned soldiers one of her first cares.

During war time Mrs. Murphy worked under Lady Luke, the Mayoress, at the Town Hall, for the Liverpool Fund. She began with the very first workers, when the Mayoress made the call at a big meeting at the Town Hall, and she continued until the last day, when the work was definitely finished.

At first Mrs. Murphy worked just wherever she was needed, anc

then as the workers became more organised into definite groups she was ia the packing room with Mrs. L. Tripp and Mrs. Townsend, packing the thousands of parcels which were sent away monthly to the troops abroad. There was also the work of receiving and unpacking goods sent in, and sorting these for different needs. Then there were all the other activities carried on by the fund. The making ot puddings for Christmas was done at the meat works at Ngahauranga, where a party went each year, Mrs. Murphy being one, and the huge mixing basins wore placed at their disposal. Eighty eggs and the other equivalent ingredients were mixed at one time. The.com> pauy boiled and tinned the puddings, but the mixing and preparing was all done by the women. Then there were the Saturday night dances at the Town Hall for men in camp. Mrs. Murphy aud a faithful band were always in

attendance, ready to see to supper, etc., and the receptions for men who re-

turned. Directly after the Armistice came the bad epidemic, and the workers, instead of relaxing, had to redouble their efforts, and the Town Hall was again a depot and a kitchen, whence all sorts of things were distributed. When finally the big work was over, Mrs. Murphy turned her attention to the returning soldiers, and she has assisted them ever since. She takes a stand every Poppy Day, and for Rose Day she makes the Howers, not only attending at the depot, but also doing much of the work at home. Rose Day was first organised under the Mayoress (Mrs. R. A. Wright), but recently has been in the hands of the returned soldiers’ organisation, who rely on a few stalwarts like Mrs. Murphy to help them through. For a short time Mrs. Murphy was on the committee of the peace time Red Cross Society and she was one of the foundation members of the Citizens’ Day Nursery, attending the first meeting called by Lady Luke as Mayoress, to discuss the project. She has served on the committee ever since and helped in all the efforts to raise money to establish the nursery. Another work which has had her interest has been ■ the Community Club for Cadets, which also she helped to start and on which she served all the time it was in existence. During the effort to raise money to present new colours to the Wellington Regiment Mrs. Murphy was a keen worker. She was on the central executive and had the satisfaction of seeing the new colours presented after the collection. Then, too, in all the street collections for various causes Mrs. Murphy always takes her share, and in this she is a shining example to the younger generation. Mrs. Murphy is English born, but she has been a New Zealand resident for many years and after her husband’s death she carried on his business in Wellington and brought up her family here. At the end of the war Mrs. Murphy was decorated with the Order of the British Empire for her war services.