Nurses' Memorial Tablet

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XIV, Issue 1, 1 January 1921, Page 31

Nurses' Memorial Tablet

Unveiling Ceremony at Nurses' Home, Danedin.

The ceremony of unveiling two memorial tablets, one to the memory of the late Sister James, and the others to the memory of nurses who died on active service and during the influenza epidemic, tool? place in the vestibule of the Nurses' Home, Dunedin, recently. The gathering included representatives (of the Eosptital Hoard, the honorary medical staff, the resident staff, the Dunedin Hospital Guild, Maternity Hospital Guild, Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, the Defence Department, and a large number of past and present nurses and V.A.l). 's and their relatives. The ceremony was brief and precise, and probably on thai account was all the more effective and impressive. Mr. W. E. S. Knight, chairman of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, who presided, said they were assembled there for a duty which gave them pleasure, but at the same time had a certain amount of sadness in its performance — pleasure in so far that they were able to place permanently on record their appreciation of the services rendered by sisters of thai noble band of women whose liven were devoted to the services of others. Mr. Miller, a former chairman of the Board, spoke in regard to Sister James. He had been specially asked to say a few words with reference to the late Nurse Jamas, and he was most willing to do. so. Nurse James was a very fine woman — adored by everyone, not only ae a nurse but as a woman. He could not speak sufficiently highly about her. She was one of the greatest helps to young nurses coming to the hospital that ever was there. She was always on the wide oif the young nurses, and always conscientiously working for the good of the profession. Any girl coming- to the hospital would do well to take her as a model. He trusted that there might be many like her among the nurses in the hospital. The Chairman then went on to say that the second tablet recorded the names of the nurses in the Board's service who died

on active service during the Great War; nurses who died in service during the influenza epidemic, and V.A.l). \s who died in service during the sani;> distressing period. Anything he might say as to the supreme sacrifice made by these devoted women would be superfluous, as their deeds spoke far themselves. They, as a people, were apt to engrave people's had deeds, and to write their good ones in sand, which the tide so easily and quickly obliterated; but he trusted on this occasion the reverse was the ease. These tablets, erected in the Nuirtses* Home, in loving memory, would, he trusted, be an inspiration for all time to those following this noble, self-sacrificing calling of nursing. Wo-men who followed the profession of nursing, and those whom we deemed voluntary aid workers in nursing, in every case 1 met the demands made with an unflinching sense of duty, and carried on cheerfully the work allotted to them without any regard to their own risk and hardship. Their loyalty and sense of duty was very highly appreciated by the Board and the public generally, and they could only deplore the loss of so many brave lives, although they were given cheerfully in a great cause. He knew that nothing could compensate the relatives and friends, but they trusted the record of their nobleness would in some measure reassure them of an unforgotten appreciation. Tne following words of Shakespeare seemed appropriate to the occasion : "You have deserved high commendation, true applause, and love." The Chairman announced several apologies, and the Eev. V. G-. B. King offered prayer of invocation. Miss Monson, vicepresident of the Trained Nurses' Association, then unveiled the tablet to Sister James, declaring that she did so to the glory of God and (in the words of the tablet) "to the memory of Sister Margaret -lames, died August 31, 1918, who for nearly 29 years was a faithful worker in the hospital, and by her devotion, to

duty set a high standard of consecrated service foir those who followed. 'Do thou thy part, and leave the rest to God.' " .Miss Knight, daughter of the chairman, then unveiled, "to the glory of God," the tablet to Nurses and V.A.D. workers, hearing the following inscription: "Not one of them is forgotten before God. Dunedin Hospital Trained Nurses. Died on active service: Sister Mary Roe, drowned, "Marquette;" Nurse Catherine Fox, drowned, ' ' M-arquette ; ' ' Sist er Esther Tubman, troopship epidemic. Influenza epidemic, 1918 — Nurses who died while on duty Dunedin Hospital: SistefP Elsie London, Nurse Jessie E. M'Rae, Nurse Eva M. Cooper, Nurse M-ary Watson, V.A.D. workers who died : Miss Evelyn E. Elliott (Dunedin Hospital), Miss Margaret M. Newman (Owaka Hospital), Mrs Janet Marion Logan (Owaka Hospital),

Mrs. Ivy C. Mute-hell (Halclutha Hospital). After the unveiling the Rev. V. G. B. King pronounced the Prayer of Consecration and the Benediction. Mr. J. London, on behalf of the relatives of those whose names are comniemorajted on the tablets, returned thanks for the invitation to be present and for the sentiments so gracefully and feelingly expressed by the chairman and Mr. Miller. They all hoped these tablets would serve not only as a Lasting memorial to those brave women, but as an incentive to good and noble deeds to those who come after them. He desired to take that opportunity of thanking the official and honorary staff of the hospital for all their attention to those who were stricken down during the epidemic.' < They were satisfied that everything possible had been done, and they desired to thank those in charge.