An Afternoon Tea

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XI, Issue 2, 1 April 1918, Page 105

An Afternoon Tea

Mrs. de Castro gave an afternoon tea recently at her home m Glen Road, Kelburn, for Matron Nurse, R.R.C., of Trentham Hospital. Mrs. de Castro has recently built at Kelburn, and her house, which is artistically arranged, boasts many souvenirs of her stay m Egypt. It was m Egypt that she ministered to the needs of the New Zealand soldiers, at tr;e Eskebieh Gardens, Cairo, and at the Soldiers' Club, established at Ismailia , where for some time Mrs. de Castro was the only woman, and she shared the hardships of the men, living on army rations. While m Egypt Mrs. de Castro met Matron Nurse, who was m charge of the New Zealand Hospital there at Pont de Koubbeh, and during the afternoon she told her guests something of the fine work done for the many New

Zealanders m the hospital by the matron, many owing their lives to the assiduous care of the matron and sisters. Mrs. de Castro quoted an Australian officer, who had spoken to her m the highest terms of the work of the New Zealand nurses. Miss Nurse was quite overwhelmed by her hostess's words of praise. Afternoon tea was laid m the dining-room, which opens by an archway from the cosy drawing-room, and the table was artistically arranged with large single chrysanthemums of a deep brick colour. Many flowers, especially chrysanthemums, were arranged about the pretty rooms. Among the guests were Mrs. A. Hamilton. Mrs. Purdy, Miss Rothenberg, Mrs. A. de Castro, Mrs. Bevan, Mrs. Cameron, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Fairchild.