DEPARTURE OF NURSES.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13757, 21 April 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEPARTURE OF NURSES.

FAREWELL AND PRESENTATIONS

(From "The Colonist," March 31.) The members, of the, Red Cross and Lady Liverpool Committees met yesterday afternoon at the Haeremai "Tea Rooms for the purpose of saying good-bye to Sisters Taylor and Ingram, who are leaving for the front this week to join the nursing staff Another Neisonian, Sister Dement, left a few days ago for Sydney, where she will embark for Europe. There was ft very large attendance of ladies, the room being packed. The Mayoress (Mrs Lock) presided, and gave a, short address, in the course of which she said: "You are probably aware that three of our Sisters have volunteered to join the nursing staff, and have boon accepted by the Defence Department to go to the front. The ladies of the Red Cross Society and Lady Liverpool Committee could not allow them to take their departure from Nelson without in some way doing them honour, so we have invited them her© to-day in order that we may express to them' our very great appreciation and cordial recognition of their brave and unselfish action. i may mention that the ladies who have volunteered from Nelson are Sisters Taylor,-Ingram, and Dement. Si.stei- Dement has already left to join the Australian nurses, having sent her name on to the Defence Office there befrre it was known that a number of nurses were to be chosen from New Zealand. We regret that we were unable to give her a farewell. We should have been delighted to have honoured her to-day and recognised her bravery. We will, I hope, take some steps to acquaint her of our appreciation. I can assure these ladies that wo do most sincerely appreciate and admire their decision to offer their services for such a glorious mission—a mission so noble that it commends itself to all who love humanity. The noblest and bravest armies on the battlefields of Europe to-day, in my opinion, are those bodies of women who go calmly, and without fear, to allay the suffering of men torn -by the bullets of their brothers. With deft hands they bind the wounds of the soldiers from every land, and ask no man under which flag he fell. And, in the name of charity and humanity, they face all the dangers that come to armed men fighting to the death. They risk all with no hope of material gain or reward, and are as brave as men who face the cannon's mouth. The women who undertake this work are God-given heroines all. Our nurses who are leaving us on such a beneficent mission, will take away with them our very best wishes. We trust that they may bo blessed with good health, have a pleasant voyage, and meet with success in relieving and comforting the sick and suffering. Our good wishes will always follow them in kind remembrance. On behalf of the women of Nelson, I sincerely wish them God speed, and that they may be spared to return to New Zealand, when I can assure them we will give them a heacty welcome home."

Mrs Cecil King, the president of the Red Cross Committee, said that she endorsed all that the Mayoress had said. She felt sure that the Sisters would acquit themselves in a manner that would do credit to Nelson. She then presented them each with a gold band ring suitably engraved, and wished them a pleasant voyage and a safe return.

Sister Ingram replied for herself and Sister l'aylor, thanking the ladies for the presentation and the kind wishes which had been expressed.

The Mayor said he was not present to make a speech or to take part in their meeting, which had been entirely arranged by the ladies, who were well qualified to conduct their own business and affairs. The executive of the Empire Defence Fund had met that morning, and had decided to recognise the splendid spirit which had prompted these ladies to offer themselves for service at the front. The committee of the fund had asked him to hand to Sisters Taylor end Ingram a cheque for £10 each, and to express the committee's admiration and appreciation of their unselfish conduct, and to wish them God-speed. The Mayor congratulated the ladies of the joint committees for their thoughtfulness in organising and carrying out such a fine send-off. He then presented the two Sisters with a'cheque each, and mentioned that Sister Dement, who had been at the Wellington Hospital for about 8 years, would receive a similar grant from the executive if it was found that the Wellington committee had not taken steps to recognise her services in a suitable way. Sister Taylor, on behalf of Sister Ingram and herself, thanked the Mayor for his remarks, and asked him to convey their bast thanks to the executive. Cheers were then given for the Sifiters (who in return gave cheers for the ladies), after which afternoon tea was partaken of, the proceedings terminating with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" and the National Anthem.