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Otago Daily Times, Issue 22353, 29 August 1934, Page 16

America's “Florence Nightingale’ was 102 years of age on June 20. She is Mrs Minerva Hartmann, believed to be the world’s oldest war nurse. She is a little, rugged-faced woman who ekes out a precarious living in a San Francisco suburb by doing crochet work. Minerva—as she is affectionately called—served in four wars—the American Revolutionary War, the Indian and the Spanish Wars, and tlie Philippine Insurrection. But she has never drawn a pension from the Govcrnnientj because the records of her service have been lost, and when the people of California started a fund to help her she refused to take a penny.

After lasting for four years, a legal dispute over the payment of 30s a week compensation to a Scottish workman ended in the House of Lords lately. The Law Lords, by dismissing the appeal, ioave the workman still without his compensation, although it has never been disputed that he was legally entitled to it The workman, Walter Henry, a mason, of Lockerbie, became, totally unfit for work through developing silicosis, disease to which stone workers are liable He was awarded 30s a'week compensation against his employer, who went bankrupt. The legal tussle had been fought on the question whether the man’s two previous employers should contribute to the compensation du c to him. The Law Lords held they were not liable so long as no payment was made by the bankrupt or out of his estate.