NURSES FOR THE BACKBLOCKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15183, 30 June 1911, Page 3

NURSES FOR THE BACKBLOCKS.

APPEAL BY LADY ISLINGTON. It would seem that in the matter of practical interest in the sick and suffering Lady Islington is proving a most worthy successor to Lady Plunkot, whoso nursing schemes won her such esteem and gratitude _ throughout the Dominion. "Avery pressing necessity of this country fa .nurses for tho back-blocks," declared Lady Islington, at tho annual meeting of tho St. John Ambulance Association (Wellington centre) on Monday night. Her excellency made a very telling appeal (says tho Now Zealand Times) on behalf,of this object. It was, she said, imperative to havo a system of supplying from the hospita's nurses who could {fivo attention to peoplo in tho remote districts. Schemes wore in existence, plans would be matured at an early date, and sho "would like to think that thero would somo day bo a chain of cottages all over New Zealand where nurses would be easily acoessible by telephone and able to go over tracks, if not by roads, to the assistance of those in need of skilled attention. It was sad to read of men who, through the necessity of , undertaking rough journeys, greatly prejudiced their chance of recovery from accident, and she quoted one pitiful instance of a settlor's child, dying through exposure as a result of being carried a number of miles by its father to the nearest hospital, where treatment could bo given for an illness which turned out to bo diphtheria. If there had been a nurse available to look after the child in its own home that sod end might have been prevented. It was our bounden duty to help those brave people, tho pillars of our Empire, who by the sweat of their brow had cultivated nature to produce the ooimtry's wealth. Lady Islington apologised for referring at some length to the matter at n.n ambulance gathering, but sho felt that she must speak of back-blocks nurses in and out of season because the subject ■ was so close to her heart. She had been struck with IJie tremendous publicspiritcdness which prevailed in New Zealand, and she hoped to enjoy enough strength and health to help in every, cause ivhich had for its object the well-being of her fellow-creatures.