Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 5 October 1916, Page 34

Notes

Praise for Sisters The well-known Dunedin medico, Dr. Marshall Macdonald, has just returned from France, where he and his wife had been engaged in professional work in the military hospitals. Speaking at a reception given to him and Mrs. Macdonald by the Trained Nurses’ Association of Dunedin, the doctor, according to the Ota Daily Times report, gave same interesting information regarding the hospital system in France. ‘ The nurses in that country,’ he said, ‘were neither so well educated nor so well trained as were the English nurses. The real nursing, however, was done by Sisters of Mercy, who had a very high sense of duty and devotion to their patients, and were not at all of the austere type that might be imagined. The work that these Sisters were doing could be regarded with the greatest satisfaction.’ This is the judgment of a professional and therefore critical mind, and may be taken as a non-Catholic doctor’s candid, and unbiassed tribute to the splendid service which the once despised Sisters are now rendering to their country.

A Kindly Act If the war has served no other useful purpose, it has at least done something in the way of reducing religious bigotry and towards promoting a better understanding and a more kindly mutual feeling between the various religious bodies represented in the fighting line -and this not alone on the western front but even in far-away Mesopotamia. A pleasant illustration of this is recorded in the Catholic. Herald of India in a recent issue. A Church of England chaplain, the Rev. V. C. Harwood, now at Amara (Mesopotamia) writing to one of the ladies of Lady Carmichael’s fund, said : ‘ Dear Madam, you ask me sometimes if there is anything else I would like you to send. There is one thing which if you will send will be most useful, and it is most necessary, and I really don’t know where else I can get it— is this, the Roman Catholic chaplain here is a Frenchman, he is a most charming old gentleman and works very hard for our Roman Catholic troops indeed could you send him from Rose and Co., Bombay, a “baby” harmonium for his little chapel. The soldiers go there and there is no music, — he has so often asked me to try and get him one. I think the cost is £5, — they fold up and go into a box. If you will do this you will be rendering a real service to (he troops. The Father can play it.’ Lady Sanderson,’ says our Indian contemporary, ‘ let Mrs. Monahan know about this request, and the latter collected the Rs 75 from a few Catholics, and the “baby” harmonium will be sent (o Father Emmanuel — the “charming old gentleman” — at Amara through Lady Carmichael’s war fund depot. We feel that the “baby” will be doubly welcome on account of the way it did come, and we shall not be surprised to hear Father Emmanuel christened it the ‘ Harwood’ harmonium.’ A Letter from the Front The following letter from the front, addressed to the boys of the Preparatory College, Oamaru, will be read with interest by young and old readers: Dear Boys, — 1 have just received your letter of sympathy, for which my most grateful thanks. Your old drill instructor appreciates your little note very highly. Since I left you 1 have been in many lands. A brief summary will perhaps be someting of a history for you to scan in your history hours at school some time. 1 left Wellington on October 11, 1914. We called at Hobart, in Tasmania ; thence to Albany, Colombo, Aden, Port Said, Suez, Alexandria — which finishes our route as regards ports of call. We arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on December 2, 1914, and trained very hard from that date until January 28, when we set off in our first little offensive (or defensive, as it proved later) down the Suez Canal, where the Turkish Army was endeavouring to make a crossing, and so regain Egypt. As you know, boys, we drove them back; and we returned to Cairo on February 28. On April 10 we set off from Cairo for our next sally the Dardanelles, landing on Anzac Beach on the 25th. I was on the Peninsula from that date until August 24, when I went to Hospital. I returned on October 8 and came off at the evacuation. . Then returned to Egypt, and on June 1 went to France with an Australian contingent. Franca, The Trenches, July, 19, 1916. I had to leave the letter over, as the boat for France sailed early on the 10th. To continue; I had five weeks with the Australians over here, and then went to England. When I commenced this letter I had received orders to proceed to France to join my regiment, and here I am now in the trenches again. This place is an inferno just now, and I’ll have no nerves when I return to New Zealand, if it is permitted me to return. Now, boys, I wish you all good luck at school, and prosperity in the future. And always remember when you have trials, that your old friend and instructor has had some very severe ones. I hope you will not forget your physical training, it has been of very great value to all our soldiers. With kindest of regards, J remain, your sincere comrade, D, J. Walls,