EXTRA EDITION. THEY MUST NOT GO

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 92, 16 October 1915, Page 6

EXTRA EDITION. THEY MUST NOT GO

♦ THE VOLUNTEER NURSES DEFINITE STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (IT TELBORIPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The Hon. G. W. Russell to-day made a statement praising the work done by the Volunteer Sisterhood, but denying that the Government recognised the organisation or is in any way responsible for looking after the nurses who join. "I was surprised," he said, "to see statements in the newspapers that a number- of ladies would leave New Zealand as members of the organisation to nurse at the front. Miss Rout, the hon. secretary of the sisterhood, was assured that no untrained ladies would be sent forward. I wish to say that these ladies go without any authority from the Public Health Department, and in defiance of the wishes of the Government. Further, the Government accepts no responsibility with regard to those who go. "It is impossible to allow white women to go to the front for the purpose of undertaking a class of duties which entirely devolve upon the coloured races. If these dnties are undertaken by white women, the white race would suffer greatly in regard to what we in New Zealand call its 'mana.' "If this movement is persisted in, I shall exercise the powers vested in me as Minister in Charge of the National War Funds, with a view to putting matters on a proper footing." MISS ROUT'S REPLY Miss • Rout, replying to Mr. Russell, s,ays that his objections are incomprehensible. She is sure the need exists for female hospital orderlies in Egypt and elsewhere. The Imperial War Office has issued a demand, for 200 female orderlies for Malta. On Colonel Valintine's figures, there are 3000 sick and wounded New Zealanders in Egypt, requiring 600 nurses. At present New Zealand has only 186 nurses abroad.