AMERICAN NURSES

Evening Star, Issue 24409, 22 January 1943, Page 6

AMERICAN NURSES

OPINIONS OF DOMINION ADMIRATION FOR SCENERY If any of the American military nurses at present in Auckland are stopped once more to be asked what they think of New Zealand, they may find it difficult to answer with their natural tolerance (says the 'Auckland; Herald'). This is the question they are most often required to answer, and they find that it is not always possible to give a different, but at the same time interesting, reply. in the short leave periods at their disposal, many of the girls have managed to travel over a large part of the Dominion, but their impressions are, naturally, a little cursory, as they have had no opportunity to spend much time at any one place. RAILWAYS AND ROADS. They do not find that the various modes of travelling in New Zealand are as comfortable as in the United States, and are interested to observe that there is a labelled distinction between first and second class on the trains. Outwardly, at least, the trains in the United States are entirely democratic. The nurses agreed that. some of the roads were certainly thrilling to ride along, but on occasions were "just awful." From what they have soon of New Zealand, the nurses think the towns are quite well laid out. They find it difficult to make any close comparison witli localities in the States. _ mainly on account of the complete disparity in size, bi»t one girl from a western State said that the architecture in many of the towns reminded her of home. Auckland and Wellington _ are the nearest approach to their cities, because of the crowds of people in a variety of uniforms who are seen in the streets, and because they seem much busier than centres in the South Island, which seems to the visitors to be far less affected by war conditions than the North. IMPRESSION OF ROTORUA. llotorua has been visited by a large proportion of the nurses, and those of them who have been able to absorb any impression of it, except one of furious sight-seeing on the edge of perilous mud pools, compare it favourably with Yellowstone Park. They were surprised to find that this country had anything to equal it in size and variety. Queenstown, with Lake Walkatipu and the surrounding hills, impresses those who have been there as being very small but very lovely. A few nurses spent a short period at the Hermitage, Mount Cook, and enjoyed their stay verv much, saying that the effort of climbing the Tasman Glacier was well worth it.' In spite of the fact. that the golf courses here are by no means perfect, the American girls are high in their praise of what they have seen of NewZealand. A*s one of them said, "Fundamentally, New Zealand is a pretty nice little country.