GENERAL RICHARDSON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17635, 27 May 1919, Page 2

GENERAL RICHARDSON.

■VISIT TO DimEDIN HOSPITAL. ,;v| INSPECTS MONTECILLO f^: HOMJL ADDRESS ON RED CROSS WORK. ENTERTiiINED BY OFFICERS.

Yesterday morning General Richardson inspected the Dunedin Hospital, accompanied by Colonel Cowio i\jcholls (commanding Otago district), Coionei Gubtea (AJXiVLS.), and Major Jrtckerill. Tho medical siiDerintendent (Dr Falconor) conducted tho party on its tour. In tho afternoon tho general paid a visit to the Rod Cross Convalescent Homo at Mouteciilo. He was accompanied by Ookmel Nicholla, Lieutenant-colonel Gabites and a. number of other officers, including his aide-de-camp (Lieutenant llidler). The bunding was decorated by tho patients with bunting loudly lent by tho Union ComPu i was rec eived by members of the Rod Cross Society, including tho following:—Miss Eattray (president), the Rev i ' Klng (ehaifman), Mrs Butterworth, Mrs Ferguson, Mrs Fitchett, Miss Williams, (matron), Messrs iSone, Ji. Crlendimng, Rosovear, and E P bmith (membors of the executive). Tho handsome billiard room and lounge was crowded with visitors, nurses, V.A.D.'s and patients in hospital blue. Mr King said that, on behalf of the members of tho Red Cross Society and tho soldier inmates, ho desired to tender to tho general a very sincere welcome All feit a a great honour to havo with them one wnom they looked upon as the "fathergeneral of tho soldiers, and to whom was due m a largo measure tho loving care and attention given to tho New Zealand soldiers in. Inland. The general was a man of deeds, so tho speaker would not r>ly him with words, but would ask him to'address the gathering-. RED CRO&S EULOGISED. General Richardson. , who was greeted with applause on rising to speak, said ho had been asked on his way to Dunedin if lie would meet the citizens, and had ex pressed the desire that no such honour should be accorded him, but that ho should be given an opportunity of meeting tho soJdwra, and also the Red Cross workers and too patriotic organisations which had done so much for the .men overseas. These men had not had an opportunity of expressing their thanks to the people of New Zealand, and ho desired to act as their mouthpiece. He was a soldier, not a publio speaker so he would not make a long speech, but would try to give them an idel of the invaluable results their efforta had brought about in the work of caring for the troops For tile first 20 months of the war he had been in the field, and was then recalled by tho New Zealand Government to take charge of the- Expeditionary Force administration and the command ' of the troops that were actually in England. While tnero he nad the chance of seeing the Red Cross work, and realising the self-sacrificing effort they were devoting to the comfort and pleasure of the men in hosoital. He did not know if the men themselves always realised who wero providing these comforts, bttt ho had always done his best to make it ?^? r K thcm whe never he had the chanco When he went to England fitst there was only one very small hospital there, which l ¥£??■ cstaDli shed by what was called the_ War Contingent Association. This body was formed primarily to look after any New Zealand soldiers who arrived in England, both the fit and tho siok. He got into touch with the committee of the association, and, with the help of Colonel Beaton Rhodes and ojr.her members of the association at Home, .it was divided into two sections—one had to do patriotic work in the direction of looking after fit men where necessary, and the other to do purely Red .Cross work in looking after men in hospital. The hospitals then expanded. It was a question whether or not the sick and wounded should be distributed throughout various hospitals in England, after the.Canadian and Australian method. This might have been more economical, but it would not have been so beneficial for the men. New Zealand hospitals wero established, it being felt that the men would be happier if concentrated together, and that had proved to be the case. The first steps were to organise the Red Cross in England The New Zealand Red Cross workers were given a distinctive uniform and divided into detachments, accardm<T to their territorial districts. As cra-r hospitals wero demobilised he hoped that these workers would return and would be available for coping with the problems of peace, and also of war, should war unfortunately occur. New' Zealand's institutions in England were, in proportion, more numerous than those of other countries. _ The casualties were heavy, the wastage in Franco beinsr approximately 10 per cent, per month. This wastage was daily brought across the Channel, and poured into the hospitals, where men spent from a few weeks to mnch longer periods.

HOto.firA.Ui IN JiiNUJLAMD. The Walton Hospital, continued the general, accommodated nearly 1800 patients, and was eomniandsd successively by Colonel Mill and Colonel O' Weill, botn Utsigo doctors. The Brockenhurst Hospital, unaer Colonel Wylie, aoeonxmodated about 1600, and the C'odford Hospital over 550, under Colonel Fen wick. In addition there was a hospital lor jaw patients at Sideup, under Major Hokerill. It was satisfactory to know that a large number of . New Zealand medical officers had gained high distinction. The speaker had been given a great deal of credit, as was natural, ho being at the head of affairs in England, but the credit belonged really to the doctors and nurses. It was doubtful if New Zealand realised -what hne body of medical- officers it possessed. They were fit to rank with any in the world" The nurses and V-A.D/s had formed one of the most popular bodies in the JLZ.E.F The Brighton Convalescent Home'for officers was an excellent institution, and provision was also made there for nurses who became run down in health. At each of the places he had referred to Rod Cross depots had been established, and it was owing to the efforts of the workers that tho various institutions were as comfortable as they were A. Bed Cross depot was established at bouthampton, whence goods were issued as they arrived to the small depots at the hospitals throughout England. Tho Convalescent Hospital at Hornchurch was a model place, than which there was no better ol its kjad in England A great doal was duo to the Red Gross for this haopy result People from the War Office, etc., frequently visited Hornchurch in order to see what a realty model convalescent hospital was. On leaving Hornchoreh the men wont on furlough, and thence through the intermediate training camp at Oodford, and into the final camp for the hard training before their return to the field. In Franco very little Red Cross work was done compared with what would havo been done if the Red Cross had been organised earlier in the war However, the men did not suffer, for New Zealand had contributed largely to the British Red Cross, so that there was no difficulty in getting whatever was required.

. A RIiXSRJiTTABLE"NECESSITY. His own function in iingLuid, the General continued, was to get the men ready for the field, and to look after the sick and wounded. Iha latter knew that if £uev niude a full recovery they would be returned to tho front luiat was one of the most regrettable things, and one always felt sympathetic towards wounded mem who had to return to the field. However the drainage of man-power made siioh a course inevitable, and it was to the credit of the men themselves that they wero always willing to go book to the field when they had recovered from wounds or sickness. Men who wore unlikely to bo fit for some months wero sent back to Now Zealand. The shortage of hospitals ships had held up this uobain occasionally, but all the men could testify to the excellent work done by those hospital ships that were in commission ORGANISATION ADVISED. Had one been organising the' work from tho beginning, the General continued one would have established the New kind Bed Cross with its own charter and it would have subscribed to the British Bed Cross from time to time. An executive would have been set up in New Zealand, with a commissioner overseas assoj ciated with a committee., The Government would havo provided transport, and would have asked the lied. Cross to set up depots in England, France, and Esrrot New Zealand V-A.D.'s would have been provided, auxiliary'to the Army Nursing bei-vice. Thus the Red Cross would pe£ vade ©very department of the Expeditionary Force. But although the Red Cross got to work very early, he did not think it proceeded on those lines. Nevertheless, the men had had the benefit of its efforts,' and he desired on their behalf to thank the Red Cross, workers for the splendid work they had done. Pie advised them to organise, bo that their work could bo used in dealing with future peace problems, and also the problems of any possible war. The care of prisoners in enemy hands, for examHo, came within the soope of Red Cross activity.

WOMEN'S WORK. Tho speaker paid a high tributo to tho work done by women in the war. By filling tho places vacated by men who went out to fight, ho eaid, they had kept tho economic machine running, and so enabled tho war to be waged to its victorious end. JNow that the war was over, many disabled men wore returning who could not re-enter their former occupations. Tliey wore going to bo a big problem. The functions of tho lied Cross wore to anwiEorato the condition of tho sick and wounded, and it might well come within its scope to supplement the otiorts of tho Government in replaoin" , disabled men in civil lifo and making "them useful citizens.—(Applause) On tho call of tho Genex.-U, the soldier patients gavo three hearty cheers for the New Zealand Red Cross. The. General then inspected the institution, and expressed great pleasure at its comfort, and its up-to-dnto appurtenances. He chnttcd freely with the soldier inmates, and asked them to voice any grievances they might havo. They brought up the matter of their blue uniforms, which they said, they objected to wearing about the streets and tho General listened carefully to their complaint, and promised to give it careful consideration. The Mornington School Fife and Drum Band rendered selections during tho afternoon. Tho General inspected tho band and was greatly pleased with its trim appoaranoo and soldierly demeanour. Afternoon tea. was provided, and hearty cheers followed tho General as ho motored oft. ENTERTAINED BY OFFICERS. AN AGREEABLE EVENING. A distinguished gathering mot in the lounge at the Savoy Tea Rooms in tho evening when General Richardson was entertained by tho Dunedin District Officers' LUub. Lieutenant-colonel T. Chalmer (president of the olub) presided, and the room was filled by a thoroughly representative assemblage of returned and Territorial officers of all commissioned ranks, from colonels to second lieutenants. A number of toasts were honoured, and musical and elocutionary items and informal chat filled in a delightful evening. The function was in the nature of a reunion, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all present In his opening remarks, tho, Chairman conveyed a number of apologies for absence, and made special reference to Padre Dutton, who, he regretted to say, was prevented from attending through "illness Tho present was tho first meeting of the club since 1914, and it augured, well for its sucoess in the future that there was such a large attendance. It was hoped before long to get going again properly hi the quarters provided at the new drill halL but these would not be available for some time "I should like to say a word about our departed comrades—our glorious dead," continued the chairman. "Thoy have done their part for tlieir country and' the Em- ■ piro, and are not present to receive the reward of their good work. It may not perhaps, be invidious to refer particularly to one name—that of the late Colonel isauchop. He was a man whom we all respected highly, who endeared himself to us all by his kindliness of nature, and ,who will long bo remembered amongst us: I would ask you, gentlemen, to stand a moment in memory of our brave dead." GENERAL RICHARDSON'S WORK. In proposing the toast of General Richardeon, Oolonel Nicholls referred to the splendid work done by their guest in the initiation and development of the Territorial scheme. He had served for a considerable period under Sir William Robertson, and had imbibed the principles which had made that, great leader famous. He was New Zealand s representative at the War Office when tho war broke out, and. during his term in England he was largely responsible for the splendid administration of the camps and hospitals in England. It was only a man of extraordinary ability who could have carried this work out in the way in which it was dene. He had now returned, after his immense work, and was deep in consideration of future oroblems The policy of the country was not yet laid down. But the speaker gathered from the general that he was anxious that the cadefr and the young man of the country should be taken in hand, should bo physically morally, and mentally developed, and should be thoroughly trained in some Territorial scheme, to make him a first-class citizen, an efficient soldier, and a credit i » d ° maa °n and the Empire —(Applause.) The greatest question to be dealt with was that of repatriation, and all should J take it to heart . The prosperity of the country was dopendent on production, and it was necessary to make every returned soldier productive as soon as, and to tho greatest degree, possible. Repatriation would be a difficult work, and it would be necessary to bear with the returned man in some cases and to show patienco in dealing with them. Some of them would stumble, and would require a helping hand nnd patient help until they found their feet In his work of administration, General Richardson would have the moral and material support of the whole dominion, inero was no other man the country could get who would receive a fuller measure of (support m tho enormous tasks that required to be performed—tasks that demanded a strong man, raid a man of great sanity and patience. General Richardson combined these qualities, and satisfaction was felt throughout the whole community at his return.—(Applause.) "Hβ had the confidence \of the people, and in his difficulties he might rest assured that he had the solid backing of tho country behind ham— (Applause.) * y

Colonel O'Neill, who was loudly applauded cm jnsing, supported the toast. He said that ho had been intimately connected with tho General at Walton-on-Thames, when contrary to his own inclinations, he .was placed m charge of *e N.Z.E.F. in the United Kingdom. There he established a reciprocity between the dominion, the.forces in England and the forces in tho field winch largely contributed to the success of tne.N.Z.EF Ho was a remarkable orgajuser, and had a keen appreciation of the needs that arose and a ~ genius for straightening out difficulties. His association with the War Office was most happy for he had many friends there, and this fact contributed to his success in the work of smooth administration. Hβ was now applying himself to the task of re-establish-mgi. the returned man as a successful citizen, ancT m that there was no I doubt that he would be as successful as ho had. been in_ Jus previous professional work All joined m wishing him a long life, ajid continued sijecess in Ws pnrfesskra.—(Applawe.) Colonel Strong culofpsed the work of the General as a Vohmteer and Territorial organiser. Ho had distittowished himself in th<S war and returned fttll of honours, upon which they congratulated him. He would havo tho Ml support of tho Territorial officers ,n tho work that lay ahead of him —(Applause.) THE WAR DISCUSSED. In replying to the toast, General Richardson, speaking informally, and not for publication, aealt in a keenly interesting wav with various phases of the war which had come nndfir his observation. He said that it gave him great pleasure to be present after such a long absence, for among the guests were many whom he counted as old tne-Kls, and many of those with whom ho liad been associated when he had occupied a very huniblo position were among the best of his friends-(Applause.) He hoped that thoso who had fallen would always bo reverently remembered, as they had been that night He paid a tribute' to General i,° ,, B ?H° a ' aaidj goIII S on to deal with the N.ZJi.l' spoke in terms of the highest eulogy of the New Zealand medical ofiteers m connection with whom he said that he had been struck with the number of highlv skilled men who camo from Dunedin. Thev were a credit to tho organisation that produced them. He spoke in terms of the highest praise of the pre-war New Zealand lemtorial system, and advocated its continuance in tho future. It was, emphatically, not aimed at the inculcation of mili tarism, but, it did strive jj.- the physical moral, and mental betterment of tho youth of tho country, and for the provision of a sound miuuiood for defensive purposes He hoped that tho services of returned officers would be available for its effective develon ment. Repatriation, was the primary nrnhlem of the present. He believed that t£ returned soldiers were better men than when they went away, and that when they settled down in civil life they would id better citizens, and the community wouiri bo tho richer on account of them. The dis ablcd men should bo first iu the th~,«h! of all.. Officially he was repatriation, out ho considered it to bo Ills duty, and the duty of every officer and ho m the necessity for strong national fence; and (3) the need for a correct perspective in regarding JW Zealand's share in the war in relation to tho share of tho Mother Country In regard to the last'

named, he could assure them that Old England had done more than any other nation, in the war.—(Loud applause.) That fact should be kept very prominently before the public. Amid loud applause, the general concluded with a glowinj? reference to the work of the women of the Empire in the war and to the splendid service of General air Andrew Rnssell. RETURNED SOLDIEBS HONOURED. Colonel E. R. Smith proposed the toast of "The Returned Soldiers," °coupled withthe name o£ Lieutenant-colonel Moin. It was a pleasure, he said, to be now able to welcome our men back. Forty-eight reinforcements had entered camp, and every draft that had gone overseas had acquitted itself gallantly. It was due to the soldiers, splendidly directed by_ the high command, that we weTe now victorious. —(Applause.) We had cause to be proud of many things, and among them was the .fine spirit in which the dominion had accepted the Military Service Act. On Armistice Day it was said that New Zealand was the only country that had a whole division in the field. The navy's magnificent work should not be forgotten, and the women of the Empire were entitled to all praise. At the armistice there were 5,000,000 women in Great Britain doing the work of men. Now thai the war was over it was hoped that returned and Territorial officers would combine to work together in the interests of a strong defensive force and of the general welfare of the community.—{Applause.) NEED FOR A CLUB. Colonel Moir, in responding to the toast, said that, but for the support of the people of New Zealand, the work of the soldiers would perhaps not have been carried out with, the same spirit of genuine regard for duty that was displayed. The young officers were as fine a body as could have been found, and men superior to those they led were not discoverable throughout the British Empire.—(Applause.) He appealed for assistance m enabling the returned men to settle down in civil life. He strongly urged the desirability of a club where they could meet in social fellowship, and asked that those present should do their utmost to help in the establishment of such an institution, where the returned men could spend then? leisure hours in innocent amusement. The necessity for such a club was obvknasj and he asked that those in sympathy should assist to the best of their ability in makingit an established fact. The returned men as far as he. knew, did not propose em- - barking in organised political activities. But their association' could Hot exist unless it fought for those objects which were ft© business of returned men, such as questions affecting land settlement, eta In conclusion, he again tttartked the gathering on behalf of the returned officers and other ranks, for the enthusiasm with which the toast had been honoured The singing of "Auld Lang Syne" concluded a successful evening. GENERAL MEETING RETURNED MEN. Tonight at 8 o'clock General Richardson will meet returned men in the Earfv Settlers , Hall, when ho will deliver an address ami will be pleased to hear what the soldiers have to say on the various matters affectmg their interests. Every returned soldier should attend. During tha day he will meet the Patriotic Association