IN MEMORIAM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12781, 27 October 1919, Page 6

IN MEMORIAM.

NEW ZEALAND NURSES. impressive memorial SERVICE. . -A- most, impressive service was held in the Anglican Cathedral yesterday afternoon as a memorial for 'the New Zealand nurses who died on active service or during the influenza epidemic. The attendance was very large, totalling about 1400, the num onn made up of about 600 nurses, 200 of the Territorial Forces, headed by Colonel Chaffey, officer commanding the district, and civilians. The Red Cross Society, headed by Mrs Wigrnm and Mrs G. Rhodes, was very strongly represented, there being a largo gathering of workers of the depot, the executive and representor tives of branches. Nurse Maude and members of the District Nursing Staff were present, as well as a large contingent of the Christchurch Hospital nurses, under Misa Muir (matron), New Zealand Army Nursing Corps (military and massage nurses), St Helens maternity nurses, and nurses from Christchurch !ind various parts of Canterbury, the St John Ambulance nurses and several Queen Alexandra Army The arrangements in connection with the gathering were carried out by Miss Hood, acting-president of the Trained Nurses’ Association. The sendee, which was conducted by Bishop Julius and the Revs S. Parr, M. and J. R. Young, chaplains of the Forces, was of a most impressive character It included special hymns and organ music by Dr J. O. Bradshaw, and the singing by the choir of Mendelssohn’s anthem, “ Happy and Blest.” At the close of the service the organist played Mendelssohn’s Funeral March, after which “The Last Post” and “ Reveille ” were sounded by a bugler; The singing of a verse of the National Anthem closed the proceedings. During the service an offertory was taken up on behalf of the Nurses’ Memorial Fund. The names to be inscribed on the memorial include the following; Died on active service—Sisters M, S. Brown (Riverton), Isabel Clark (Camara), C. A. Fox (Dunedin), M. Gorman (Waimate), A. G. Hawker (Auckland), N. M. Hilyard (Christchurch), Helena Kathleen Isdell (Kumara and Napier), M. E. Jamieson (Palmerston North), M. H. Rae (Dunedin), L. A. Rattray (Christchurch), M. Rogers (Christchurch), E. M. Tubman (Dunedin), E. K. Cooke (Auckland) and Lily Lind (Wellington). Died in New Zealand during the influenza epidemic, 1918—Sisters I- Crossing (Sydney), J. E. Linton (Thames), V. E. Logie (Thames), E. M. G. London (Dunedin), E. V. Spring (Hokitika), A. J. Taylor (New Plymouth), M. H. Whishaw (Wellington), Nurses F. Austin (New Plymouth), G. Beswick (Christchurch), t>. A. Burgess-(Napier), E. M. Cooper (Dunedin), H. Corbett (Southland), A. Cronin (Ashburton). C. Davidson (Tima.ru), W. Davies (Hokitika), F. Dickson (Auckland), M. B. Dixon (Hokitika), J. M, Ensor (Wellington), E. Gray (Timaru), H. Hooker (Christchurch), J. E. Macrae (Dunedin), I. M. Manning (Christchurch), M. Mataira (Wanganui), N. Matthew (Waikato), B. Melville (Wairau), A. P. Rudinger (Auckland). A. Skedmora (Wellington), J. Twelbridge (To Kopuru), P. Waite (New Plymouth), M. Watson (Dunedin), Mrs D.'O. Erb (nee Eleanor Evans, St Helens, Wellington), Mrs C. T. Little (neo Hephzibah Kennedy, Christchurch), and Mrs H. L. Wicldowson (nee E. A. Smyth). Bishop Julius delivered an eloquent eulogy on the service of women in the fields of war and in the cause of those who suffered in the epidemic. Women had been carrying her great task through' in recent times by sheer force of will. But it was necessary to learn how to do that task. He looked back and could say how arduous had been a nurse’s training, long hours, duties to be carried out that were'.against the’ grain of a woman until purpose and use made them easier. In the old life of the nurse at Home it was a case of the survival of the fittest. Only the stronger could endure. It was the duty of the people to see that the nurses were given a chance in life, and provision made for them in case of a breakdown. He had known many nurses in England to break down at forty years of age, and literally many of them died ip the workhouse. Those nurses were desperately poor, for nurses were poorly paid. “In this country we ought-to see that out of the wealth of the community no nurses should be allowed to pass into old ago in poverty and distress.” In nursing woman had found her opportunity. Some would remember when the hospitals were staffed with men, amd the best that could bo said of a man serving was that “he was as tender as a woman.” But it was a woman’s profession* Yet' behind the work there must be something ’ deeper. In ai nurse’s heart there must be great love for Jesus Christ, and she must go to a bedside with that love of God in her heart. Those who had gone to the war and served in the epidemic had special qualifications. They had a call and obeyed. That call did not come to all, but they had heard it. There was something in the nurses’ service that must appeal to all. They could not expect any great glory. A w.oman might ho the best nurse on earth, but she could never become a field-marshal nor hope to gain q, title at the end of the struggle. She just had to go back to her ordinary occupation. Her only glory was in her death, when men would say what she had done. She had no stimulus such as the soldier who goes for his enemy, but worked silently and persistently behind the hues, caring for the shattered, men and helping to stay the bleeding of their wounds. Whoever went down, the nurse must stand up to her work Who seeing their noble work would say that Chnstiamty was dead? Many had given their lives-all had given' of their best. Thus the world had seen what Jesus Christ could make, of woman. Eiero was victory in death in service and the people had gathered on that occasion to render thanksgiving, for the S°^J f - aU th ° Se lo , viug women who had died in nursing the soldier or the civilian. _ Them work and death should be an inspiration for all to go on working for the Master.