The New Zealand Nurses in London

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VIII, Issue 3, 1 July 1915, Page 131

The New Zealand Nurses in London

A cheery interlude in the gloom of the past week, when so many New Zealand casualties have come to light, and numbers of New Zealand wounded have arrived in England, was a tea given at the Westminster Palace Hotel by the High Commissioner for the fiity members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service who arrived in England by the Rotorua, states the 44 British Australasian," of May 27. The proceedings were quite informal, and a number of New Zealanders at present in London were amongst those present. After tea a flashlight photograph of the nurses and Mr. Mackenzie was taken, and the High Commissioner made known the programme that had been sketched out for their entertainment for the few days they will be in London. On Saturday they were taken to Richmond, Hampton Court, and Kew. On Sunday some of them went to Birmingham to visit the New Zealand wounded in hospital there. On Monday they were the guests of the Young Patriots for the Empire Service in Westminster Abbey, where they were allotted special seats by the Dean, In the afternoon they took tea with the Young Patriots. Yesterday they were taken over the House of Commons and House of Lords, and it is probable that they will sail for their destination (thought to be either Alexandria or

Malta) at the end of the week. From the time of their leaving for their destination they will be under the jurisdiction of the War Office. Before the gathering on Friday broke up the High Commissioner, in a short speech, bade the nurses " God-speed " in the noble work in which they had come over to help. Women, he said, had played a wonderful and beneficent part in this, the most terrible of all wars, and he felt confident that New Zealand nurses would honourably uphold the traditions of their country and their profession in the great mission on which they were now setting out. Miss Maclean, the matron, made a graceful little response, thanking the High Commissioner for the entertainment, and for the interest New Zealanders were showing in the short visit of the nurses to London. Each nurse on leaving was the recipient of a small silk New Zealand ensign and an embossed card bearing the New Zealand coat of arms. Mr. and Mrs. Macarthy Reid, of Wellington, entertained the fifty members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, now in London, last night at the St. James's Theatre. The High Commissioner was unfortunately prevented from attending, but Miss Mary Mackenzie was present.

Wire from Her Excellency Lady Liverpool to the Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Minister of Public Health apologising for not being able to be present at presentation of badges : — " Please tell the nurses how sorry I am not to be able to come down to see then

this morning I have asked Mrs. Massey to present some boxes of chocolates from myself and the committee of my general fund with best wishes for a pleasant voyage and success in their work. "Annette Liverpool/'