Queensland's Kindness

To Evacuees From Territories

rE kindness of Queensland people to the women and children passing through their towns, as part of the evacuation of New Guinea and Papua, was described in terms of unmeasured praise by Mrs. A. Bowring, a well-known resident of Edie Creek, NG “A large party of us. women and children, arrived unexpectedly in Cairns ” said Mrs. Bowring. “Many were sick and miserable and depressed—some of , been brought away nractically without luggage. What those Red Cross women and Voluntary Aids did for us there is unbelievable.

“They did not merely conduct us to hotels and say, ‘Well, there’s your room —God bless you!’ They gave up their Christmas holidays so that they could look after us. Those girls went around the hotels, took the mothers away for a rest and looked after and bathed the babies.

“In Brisbane, they met us, bringing the keys of our hotel rooms. Each woman got a room to herself, where she could he up and rest. Every little thing was thought of—the mothers as well as the babies were cared for. On the trains in every compartment allotted to evacuees we found fruit and cold drinks awaiting “At Townsville, they treated us like royalty. A Tourist Department official at Cairns, a Mr. Bryce, and two officials at Townsville, and a little Voluntary Aid who came along on the train with us south of Brisbane, especially earned our gratitude.

“I landed in Cairns without luggage

—it had remained at Wau. I mentioned it to Mr. Bryce. Soon after, a Mrs Bowden arrived with a bedroom outfit for me. Others offered to get the stores opened, to meet the travellers’ needs A Mrs Loudon arrived with two beautiful frocks for me—a perfect stranger “We evacuees never will forget the women of Queensland—they were mar vellous.”