Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 23 May 1944, page 7


il I I--- lill I i r_ I I mf \

I Hear On My Rouh ds . ?.

By ELIZABETH STREET ^ '

Beauties Of Yesteryear I Back Numbers Today

M TAKE a bow, women.. - "

* I heard the Rev Dr F. W* Boreham tell a meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society the other day that the women of 66 years ago seemed beautiful at the time, but that, in his opinion, they would be back numbers today.

-He was recalling to the gathering that, as a small boy, be happened to visit London on the very day in 1878 on which Cleopatra's Needle was being erected. The cavityat its base before being sealed was filled with a strange assortment of articles, includ-ing portraits of 12 of the most beau-tiful women of that period

It almost seemed, Dr Boreham said, as though the British Government already had an,inkllng that the days of long hair were numbered, for there were also placed in the cavity a packet of hairpins, along with a book of women's fashions. Other items included a razor, a London direc-tory, newspapers published that day, and a Biblical text in 215 languages^

Matron Wilson And 20,000 Nurses

Matron-in-Chief of the Australian Army Nursing Service in two wars, Matron Grace Wilson, who retired from active service in 1941, is once again playing an important part in the war effort as head of Nursing Control, a branch of home front work about which the general public knows little.

This section of the Manpower De-partment controls the staffing of every hospital in Victoria. It is a colossal job, requiring, besides the full time services of Matron Wilson and four trained nurses, an office staff of 11 women.

The waiting-room at Nursing Con-trol was crowded when I went there yesterday, and I was told it is rarely empty. No wonder! Matron Wilson is trying to solve the problems of 7,000 nurses, day in and day out, and 300 girls and women interested in some way or other in the nursing profession, are interviewed fort-nightly. Particulars about each occupy shelf upon shelf, and in the event of a national emergency or epidemic, the 20,000 nurses regis-tered in Victoria could be called up at almost a moment's notice.

Matron Wilson's appointment to this position was a wise one, for she has all the ability, tact, and sym-pathetic understanding needed.