THE RIGOUR OF CASTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9568, 26 January 1917, Page 8

THE RIGOUR OF CASTE

A military order has been issued at Home which forbids Australian nurses walking abroad with Australian privates. It has caused much comment. No ono has a good word to say for it. An Australian writer says: In. one letter which has come to my attention the writer maintained that the majority of the officers who are responsible for the order are jealous of privates, many of the latter being of better birth, education, and means than the officers themselves. There may be some truth in this. At anv rate, the nurses bitterly resent an order which is intended to cut them off from the society of their awn brothers and relatives who may be in the rants. Some of them are very angry because members of the Voluntary Aid Detach, ment are not subjected to the same discipline. The volunteers have the privilege of promenading with whom they please. This distinction of official rank has been responsible for much resentment in other Quarters. An Australian woman recently arranged a dinner party at one of the fashionable restaurants in London. Her brother, who was a private, attended the affair. Because of his presence a military official in a high position who was among the guests explained to the hostess that if the private remained he wonld have to retireAs the hostess was giving the dinner in honour of her brother, she accepted the officer’s apology and wished him goodbye. "