Page 9 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 89, 13 October 1915, Page 9

LIFE IN EGYPT An intereg*n_, uterview i& reported by the Sydney tionung Herald, as follows :—: — " Girls are continually asking me for my opinion as to whether they should go to Egypt to work for our wounded, and I always answer ' No/ " declared Mrs. W H. Read, of Wahroonga, who recently was a member of the Australasian Comforts Committee in Cairo. Mrs. Read, who returned a short time ago to Sydney, has much to tell about pre-eent-day conditions in Egypt, and incidentally much comfort to bestow on those who wonder whether soldier friends are getting supplies and necessaries cent. "Things we're much better before I j left," said Mrs. Read, "and they were keeping on improving. As one of the Australian committee I could keep m touch with matters of importance, and could see things on the inside. Untrained girls are of absolutely no use in Egypt. They will find no openings whatever of helpfulness to our troops. ' But I can cook,' said a girl to me, when I put this view before her. This I then told her, was of no importance whatever. There is noVcooking to be done by anybody but the natives, either Egyptians. Arabs, or Nubians. Nurses at the base hospitals have told me that, except when a rush is on, they have easier times than ever they had at the Sydney or the Prince Alfred Hospitals. The outside work, except skilled medical attention and trained nursing, is done by servants. Splendid servants they are, too. The highest grade servant is paid £4 a month, and he keeps and boards himself. In my flat in Cairo I had three servants, and everything was perfectly done. My flat was open house to our boys. They used to come on Sunday afternoons ' to remind them of home,' they] said. A friend of mine in Melbourne, who is going to Egypt, is packing up all her flower vases and table silver, and she, too, is going to keep open house for her son's friends. In this way, a woman with means to afford it can be of real use by giving the boys a taste of home. But for untrained girls going in the hope of finding occu- . pation, as I said, there is no opening at all. "There are many bright, genial Englishwomen who make their home in Cairo, leaving it only in the hot weather. They will all be back there now, and they are all keenly interested in working for the soldiers. Our boys need comforts. 'I've come back in nothing but bandages and blankets,' said one wounded lad to me on his return, from the front. All his clothes had been cut away when his wound was dressed.* Par- '■ eels should be smajl, for, no matter what the package is, it is always handcarried at last. The postmaster at a base post office told me to sew everything up in cloth or canvas or print — it j really does not matter what— to ensure | safe carriage- Billies should not be painted, for one smoking over an open fire will effectually darken them. But ! they must be sewn up in a covering cloth and the handle laid flat inside, and a loop of some kind stitched on the cover, so that an A.S.C. boy can sling a lot of them on his shoulder and carry them up from the beach. "As soon as Mr Adrian Knox got to work things began to improve. I think that the British Red Cross were slow to move at first, but matters are clearing up wonderfully. There are several hospitals now on Lemnos Island, the farthest off is only twelve hours from Cairo, though at first Lemnos was reported to be an impossible place for a hospital.' What" I should chiefly like to make perfectly clear are the two facts as abpve— that untrained girls are of no use to the military or Pied Cross authorities in Egypt, and that parcels larger than 71b or 81b stand a much, better chance of going astray than- smaller ones ; also that everything should be securely sewn up in a strong covering." CHRISTMAS AT THE "WAR i A Christmas cake and sweets packed in air-tight tins ready for posting make an ideal gift for the lonely soldier. Godber's, Cuba-street. — Advt. Have you ever puzzled over the origin of the word Sydal? Spell it backwards. At first this was a preparation for ladies, but now men use it after shaving.— Advt. TO PIANO BUYERS. All who wish to ensure getting a highclass British instrument should certainly call on The Bristol Piano Co., Ltd* This well-known firm, established in New Zealand over 32 years, regularly receives large shipments of excellent British-built pianos, Buch as the brilliant BrOadwood, the splendid Sames, and the magnificent Collard and Collard. It also stocks those renowned Canadian organs — the Bell and the Imperial. If credit is a convenience, The Bristol will gladly^extend to you the advantages of its popular and liberal time-payment system. The Bristol Piano Co., Ltd., Wellington. M. J. Brookes, North Island manager. — Advt. BRICE'S Luncheon and Tea Rooms, Brandonstreet, next Kirkcaldie and Stains, morning and afternoon teas, 3d. Hot meat and fish lunch and teas, 5 to 7.30. Oysters in season. — Advt. Have you tried Bycroft's new biscuit, the "Bellamy," for afternoon tea? Dainty, crisp, dehcious. All grocers. — Advt." While travelling on the top of a down-ward-bound tramcar of the " doubledecker " type on Saturday afternoon, Mr. J. Do'herty, who is in the employ of Mr. Wylie, grocer, of Newtown, had a very narrow escape from concussion of the brain. As the car was approaching Rintoul-street the trolley-pole was suddenly jerked down, and then released, with the result that it rebounded, catching Mr. Doherty, who was behind the trolley-standard at the time, a violent blow on the top of his head. He was immediately removed to the Hospital, where it was found necessary to put several stitches in the wound. Mr. Doherty is now able to attend his duties, but it will be some time before he is entirely recovered. "Your daughter plays the piano beautifully." "Do you really think so?" "Yee, indeed. Why. if I didn't see her fingers hit rhe keys, I'd swear it was one of those mechanical pianos." DRESSMAKING. MISS MAINWARING has recommenced Business in Penty's Building, 212, Lambton-quay. opposite Kirkcaldie's, where, in addition to executing orders for Costumes, Dresses, etc., she is forming Classes for Practical Dressmaking. Terms— 6 lessons for 12s 6d (day and evening classes). Join now and make your summer outfit [A Card.] NURSE M'FARLANE (Certificated), Glasgow Maternity Hospital Trained, R,U RUA HOSPITAL, 29, MARION-STREET j Telephone 4275.