VOLUNTEER NURSING SISTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 50

VOLUNTEER NURSING SISTERS.

DEPARTURE FOR EGYPT. WELLINGTON, October 21

A contingent of a dozen women despatched by the Volunteer Sisterhood to assist in hospital work in Egypt loft in the Manuka to-night for Sydney, where they will join tho Medina. They are: —Sister in. charge, Sister Agnes Kerr, of Gisborne (expenses paid by Gisborne Patriotic Committee); assistant, Miss Saic, of Auckland (self and friends); matron. Miss Marion Wiggene, Domestic Service Instructor, Gisborne Technical School (Poverty Bay Teachers’ Institute) ; volunteers—-Miss Adelaide Ballantino (Wanganui Patriotic Committee), Miss Knudscn (Midhirst Ladies’ Patriotic Committee), Mrs Leggatt (New Zealand Shearers’ Union), Miss Eileen Neilsen (Raumai residents). Miss Dora March (Hawera Patriotic Committee), Miss G. Orange (New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Christchurch), Mrs Harold Rhine! (Lyttelton residents). Miss Clara Regers (Kirkcaldie’s employees and Hawera Patriotic Committee), Miss Sylvia Wilson (Grace Bros., Carterton). For each of the 12 women £IOO has been paid to the Defence Department, less passage money. The average cost of_ each volunteer, in addition to the £IOO, is £SO for outfit. The balance of the £IOO was remitted abroad by tho Defence Minister for tho use of the sisterhood. On arrival in Egypt the women will be met by tho Y.M.O.A. representatives, who will take charge of tho postal and cable arrangements for them. “This is a much-discussed question,” remarked the Hon. G. IV, Russell to the Red Cross deputation (says the Christchurch Press) which waited on him on Monday, referring to the subject of nurses. “The Government is absolutely determined,” the Minister went on to say, ‘‘that no woman shall leave New Zealand under authority of tho Government unless she has passed through such a course in the public hospitals—at least three or four years—as will justify her in undertaking’ nursing service by the 'side of any nurses in the world. _ I am proud to tell you that information given me by Miss Maclean is to the effect that New Zealand nurses occupy the very highest place in the opinion of tho medical authorities at the front.”