Nurses' Memorial Fund

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XI, Issue 2, 1 April 1918, Page 72

Nurses' Memorial Fund

Honouring a Noble Profession

The opportune proposal to establish a Nurses' Memorial Fund by which honour will be done to the memory of those of the profession who have laid down their lives m the great war by caring for the welfare of the nurses who remain with us has made a strong appeal to public sympathy, and is well assured of hearty and wide-spread support m this community. The novel, and highly artistic entertainment given to swell this fund, drew a large audience to fTis Majesty's Theatre on Saturday evening, and the presence of their Excellencies Lord and Lady Liverpool, under whose patronage the entertainment was given, lent an added distinction to the gathering. The programme was organised by the Otago Women's Club, who certainly succeeded m achieving a very pronounced success. A large number of nurses were present m uniform, and they added to the funds to the extent of some £36 by the sale of artistic programmes and sweetmeats. It is, of course, too early to make an accurate statement of the financial result, but as the expenses were reduced almost to vanishing point, the promoters are hopeful of securing some £200. The Hon. G. W. Russell was present, and m his capacity of Minister of Public Health and Hospitals, said a few words commending the Nurses' Memorial Fund for the benefit of the nurses of New Zealand. Right through, he said, they had taken their part splendidly m the great work women were everywhere doing on account of the war, and he was sorry that up to the present no organised effort had been made to establish a superannuation fund for those who engaged m the arduous, distressing, and anxious work of nursing. He congratualted the people of Dunedin on moving m the direction of establishing such a permanent fund. He hoped that when finances became normal again Government and Parliament might be induced to establish a permanent superannuation fund for the nurses of the dominion. He wished the fund every success, and promised his own hearty co-operation and assistance.

During the evening Mrs. Kyneton Par fees, late secretary of the Women's Emergency Corps, London ; gave a rapid and interestingreview of the magnificent war work being done by women m the Old Country. She referred to the strenuous days of 1914 when the few trained nurses m the country were faced with the tremendous task of caring for the wounded soldiers being sent back from France. A large military hospital, commandeered just behind Co vent Garden Market, was entirely managed by women m every department from the highest specialists downwards, and she had been told it was the only hospital where it had been found quite unnecessary to have an orderly room. — (Laughter). She recalled some of the heroic women doctors and nurses who had given their lives m the great war, and described the thrilling service m St. Paul's to the memory of Nurse Cavell. Mrs. Parkes spoke most enthusiastically of the wonderful work being done m London and other parts of England by the New Zealand nurses m the New Zealand Government hospitals. At Walton-on-Thames the New Zealand Government had built what she considered to be perfection m the way of hospital wards — giving air, and light, and comfort, and beauty. She described also the workshops m which the convalescents, by way of recreation, acquired a knowledge of most useful trades. The programme opened with a finished rendering of Woodforde Finden's " Nightfall m Hyderabad/ by Mr. Browning's choir. In Verdi's " Caro Nome" Miss Natalina M'Callum had an excellent opportunity to show the range and rich quality of her voice, and when recalled by the audience she gave "Oh Bird of Love Divine." During the singing of this she had the misfortune to have to compete for a time with an enthusiastic little dog, but she won splendidly, and the audience fully recognised the merit of her effort. Mr. Percy James provided a lot of amusement with a series of humorous sketches, and Mr. J. Leech's singing of " Mountain Lovers " and the encore number " I Don't Suppose " was greatly enjoyed. Two clever vaudeville

items by professional artists wore submitted by the courtesy of Messrs. Fuller. " The Kewpie Kids/* from Haverly's Revue, gave a*very pretty Dance of the Allies "m costume, and Jones and Raines found great favour with their most amusing songs and sketches, and had to return to the stage again and again. Not the least entertaining feature of this part of the programme was a series of topical verses full of pointed allusions, sung by four medical students m costume, a fifth presiding at the piano. The whole of the second part of the evening was taken up by an original and most impressive and cleverly arranged pageant of historic women, given by the Otago Women's Club. The motif of the pageant was that the Spirit of the Past (Mrs. Statham) finding the Spirit of the Present (Miss Roberts) sad and despondent, summons before her m turn some of the great women of the past so that the Spirit of the Present may find courage and cheer from recalling what they suffered and achieved. The costuming of the characters was most beautifully and effectively carried out, and as each actress advanced slowly to the centre of the stage she delivered lines mostly chosen from the masterpieces of our literature, referring to the character represented. The pageant included Cleopatra (Miss S. Shrimpton), Boadicea (Miss Sanderson), Alcestes (Miss Lee), Queen Philippa (Miss Wilkinson), Lady Godiva (Miss A. Macdonald), Jean of Arc (Miss Han Ion). Queen Elizabeth (Miss Ulrich), Mary, Queen of Scots (Miss D. Park), Marie Antoinette (Mrs. Neil), Flora Macdonald (Miss Macintosh), Elizabeth Fry (Miss E. Smith). Queen Victoria (Miss Sidey), and Florence Nightingale (Mrs. Davis). The Spirit of the Future was represented by Miss Alexander. The audience was most impartial m its bestowal of approval upon every individual taking part, and it is certain that a very high level of excellence was sustained throughout. The heaviest part of the work fell upon Mrs. Statham, who, as the Spirit of the Past, ushered the various characters on the stage. She filled the part with grace and distinc-

tion, and her rich, clear voice proved almost ideal for the position. It should be said that the whole conception and organisation of the pageant ih> very largely Mrs. Statham's work. Appropriate incidental music from the wings was supplied In Mrs. Mason and Dr. Apploby as an accompaniment to the pageant. During the evening her Excellency Lady Liverpool "was presented with an elaborate box of sweets. The presentation was made by Nurse London, on behalf of the nurses of Dunedin.

The sum of £28 15s has also been received by the matron-in-chief for transmission to the treasurer of the fund. This sum is the result of an entertainment by the Greymouth Hospital nurses and Mass Bishop, of ReWa Private Hospital. The nurses modestly made only a fmall charge for their enter ainment, or the sum Would have been much larger ; but m ad» dition to that sum of over £100 sent about two years ago from the We t Coast, we think it is a very good contribution from a comparatively small number, when so many patriotic efforts are being made. Nurses do not Wish to vie with the efforts made for patriotic purposes, or to take m any way from the money needed for the sick and Wounded soldiers. We deprecate any appeal to the public Which can m any Way be construed as an appeal for charity, and We regret that the late Dunedin effort should have included a street collection. The Memorial Fund is one which is now well established, and can be the basis for donations and bequests for years to come, and for the object of entertainments and fetes such as that held at the Auckland Hospital and at Dunedin, none of which present the objectionable features of a street collection, When people arc practically forced to give, and have no quid pro quo for their money. A letter received from the treasurer shows a satisfactory sum Which has m most part been collected Without compromising the dignity of the nursing profession,