Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 19 August 1939, page 11


RACHEL FORSTER

HOSPITAL

Lady Gowrie Praises

Work for Poor.

J ADY GOWRIE paid a warm tribute

to the work of the Rachel Forster Hospital at the hospital's annual meet-ing held at the Women's College, Syd-ney University, yesterday afternoon.

"It's absolutely marvellous what the hos-pital does for the poor of this city," Lady

Gowrie said.

"I know that the almoner, Miss Kate Ogilvie, will beg, borrow, and almost steal an empty bottle to help the funds," she added

with a smile.

The president, Mrs. W. H. Read, explained that plans for the new hospital building were well in hand, but because of lack of funds construction had not begun.

"Last year the then Minister for Health, Mr. H. P. FitzSimons, promised us Govern-ment assistance in the matter, but since then war clouds have rolled up and social services seem to have gone to the wall," she said. "If every woman were to contribute 10/ we would have a hospital to be proud of, we could say 'bother war' and devote ourselves to the living and to .social troubles rather

than international troubles."

The Federal Minister for Health, Sir Frederick Stewart, arrived late, as by mistake he had gone to the hospital itself.

"I thought there were assembly halls and drawing-rooms there," he told the audience. "If I were the State Minister for Health I would take steps to see that the promise made a year ago was redeemed. Co-incldentally with defence preparations we should do every-thing possible to Improve the physical and mental condition of the people."

NEW "DEPARTMENTS"

There waa laughter when Mrs. Read re-lated how the artificial respirator donated to the hospital by Lord Nuffield had arrived on the doorstep in a huge crate and that the roof would have had to be removed to admit it. "It is being lodged elsewhere until we get the new building," she explained. "We now have two new departments-one for the respirator and the other should really be called a "departure" instead of a "de-partment" because it consists of two men, Messrs. R. W. ' Gillespie and Martin Mcllrath,. who have consented to act as our

financial advisers."

The Rachel Forster Hospital is conducted by women for women and children.

Other speakers were Mesdames Hubert Fairfax, H. L. Witt, and J. E. Walker; the Director of Maternal and Infant Welfare, Dr. Grace Cuthbert, who said that in Holland the State encouraged and assisted social wel-fare and charitable organisations to a high degree: and Miss Kate Ogilvie.

During afternoon tea Mme. Ada Baker handed in for the hospital a cheque for £140-proceeds of the celebration of her 50 years' career as a singing teacher with three performances of the opera "Les Cloches de

Cornevllle."

. _'