DOMESTIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Transcribed from South Africa Magazine 2-20-1915

BIRTHS

ABRAHAMS—On January 15, at Johannesburg, to Mrs. P. ABRAHAMS, a son.

ANDERSON—On January 16, at New Kleinfontein, to Mrs. A. J. ANDERSON, a daughter.

COLMAN—on February 6, at Cape Town, Mrs. Harry M. COLMAN, a son.

GIBBS—On December 30, at Kimberley, to Mrs. J. GIBBS, a son.

KYDD-COUTTS—On January 9, at Kenilworth, to Mrs. W. F. KYDD-COUTTS, a son.

MACKAY—On February 13, at Nakuru, Mrs. J. MACKAY, a daughter.

MACLACHLAN—On January 7, at Kimberley, to Mrs. MACLACHLAN, a son.

MOSENTHAL—On January 12, at Joubert Park, to Mr. and Mrs. B. P. MOSENTHAL, a daughter.

NEYT—On January 17, at Rosettenville, to Mrs. NEYT, twin daughters.

SHAW—On January 12, at Eldoret, to Mrs. J. C. SHAW, a daughter.

WINTER—On February 15, at Johannesburg, Mrs. Arundell John WINTER, a son.

YUILL—On February 10, at Cape Town, to Mrs. Wm. YUILL, a son.

MARRIAGES

BURNETT-HARRIS—On January 18, at Jeppes, Charles Stanley BURNETT to Ethelle Annie HARRIS.

HARDAKER-BURRIDGE—On January 9, at Sea Point, Robert HARDAKER to Hilda BURRIDGE.

HEWETSON-WILSON—On February 11, at Cape Town, W. M. HEWETSON, M.B., D.P.H., Sinoia, to Margaret Lily WILSON.

KINGWELL-RICKETTS—On January 6, at Kimberley, Arthur Derby KINGWELL to Edith Petronella RICKETTS.

DEATHS

ADAM—On January 8, at Muizenberg, Isobe Falconer, wife of Dr. ADAM, of Brakpan.

BECK—On February 16, in London, Arthur BECK, formerly of Durban, aged 60.

CROFT-MURRAY—On February 8, in British East Africa, Bernard CROFT-MURRAY, aged 56.

EYK—At Johannesburg, William Daniel VAN EYK, aged 67.

FLETCHER—On February 11, at Bulawayo, Alfred Leigh FLETCHER.

FRITH—On December 28, on the P. and O. Ballarat, between Las Palmas and Cape Town, Samuel Davy FRITH, aged 44.

HANAU—On February 12, at Wynberg, Harriet HANAU.

HARROWER—On January 11, at Johannesburg, Charlie HARROWER, aged 33.

LAZARUS—On January 10, at Kimberley, Solomon Joseph LAZARUS.

MACFARLANE—On February 14, at 16, Fitzjohn’s Avenue, N.W., from heart failure, James Golder MACFARLANE, in his 69^th year.

NEETHLING—Killed at Kakamas, Lieutenant Jack NEETHLING, Union Defence Force, aged 24.

NESBITT—On February 16, at Port Elizabeth, Frances Amelia, widow of Lieut.-Colonel NESBITT, C.B., aged 73.

WALBURGH—On January 11, at Kimberley, Sophia Madelina WALBURGH, aged 73.

WESTON—On January 6, at Benoni, Thomas William WESTON.

WILLIAMS—On February 13, at 92, Clifton HILL, N.W., Elizabeth Mary WILLIAMS, aged 67.

WRIGHT—On January 20, at Zemba, Francis Staunton Silas WRIGHT, Paymaster, 1^st King’s African Rifles, aged 49.

Miscellaneous articles on the same page:

SOUTH AFRICAN AMBULANCE

To the Editor of “South Africa.”

Sir,--I regret to see in your issue of the 13^th inst. that you do not approve of the hospital unit which has been sent from South Africa to aid the Allies in Europe. I also notice that you are under a misapprehension with regard to the conditions under which the unit offered itself for service in France.

On this point I am in a position to state that all correspondence with the British and French War Offices took place through the Union Government and that the ambulance left South Africa with the full knowledge and sanction of the Defence Department.

I may add that the formation of an Ambulance or hospital unit was decided upon immediately after the outbreak of hostilities in Europe and long before there was any definite knowledge of trouble or warfare in South Africa. When the rebellion broke out and we offered to serve in South Africa we were officially informed that there was no necessity to make any alteration in our original plans, as our proposed assistance to the allied cause met with complete approval.

The Union Defence Department is obviously the best judge of the medical needs of the forces in the field in South Africa. Owing to the closing down of the diamond mines and other causes more medical men are free to join the Union Forces than are in reality required. To such an extent is this the case that the South African Medical Record, in an editorial, directly recommended medical men to proceed to Europe and offer their help there where the casualties were out of all proportion to what can be expected from the fighting in South Africa.

Quite apart from the official point of view, the numerous subscribers to the fund were most emphatic in their decision to send this unit to Europe.

In conclusion, I may state that the South African hospital is now at work in France, and has been most gratefully accepted and supported by the French Service de Sante, after due inspection. The French Government, through no fault of its own, was caught unprepared, and in view of the very large number of wounded in France it is keenly felt that practical help is, above all, needed in the present serious circumstances.

I remain,

Your obedient servant,

Harry BAYON,

Pathologist and Registrar, S.A.A.

Windsor Hotel, S.W.,

February 18, 1915.

(This communication does not alter our view that the ambulance, as it has now developed, is a blunder. It admits that the circumstances in South Africa are very much more serious now than they were when the scheme was conceived. “The numerous subscribers to the fund” were quite at liberty to do what they pleased with their “hospital unit” provided they paid its expenses, as was the original basis of the scheme. We distinctly stated last week that had it continued to be self-supported from South Africa we should have regarded the ambulance as a private affair. We have taken strong objection to the name of South Africa being associated with what is apparently now but a somewhat presumptuous and needy effort affecting to be of substantial “aid to the allies in Europe.” It is preposterous, in our view, that South Africa should be identified with such patronizing apologies as that “the French Government, through no fault of its own, was caught unprepared” and other criticisms such as we printed in our last issue. We have ourselves quite recently seen on the spot how England’s mighty neighbour and ally across the Channel has risen like the great nation she is to the full needs of the situation. We regard it, therefore, as something more than fussy to send round the hat on her behalf. If there are too many doctors in South Africa at present, we are sure those who are superfluous are men enough to shoulder a rifle and so help to bring the war at their own doors to a speedier conclusion.—Ed. S.A.)

A civil servant in the Public Works Department at Pretoria, named A. D. DUNBAR, has been found dead on the bed of the Aapies River. It is surmised that he missed his footing when crossing the bridge that spans the canalized portion of the river.

The following South and East Africans have joined the Royal Colonial Institute: Messrs. Cecil Algernon B. BARTON, James M. FRY, Roland E. GORDON, Edward GREGSON, Major A. B. HAY, Raymond KENT, John L. OLIVER, Walter R. PIERS, Francis G. PRICE, Rev. Apsley S. B. RANGER, and William C. SCULLY

25 YEARS AGO

(Extracts from “South Africa” of February 22, 1890.)

Sir Theophilus SHEPSTONE is seriously ill.

A five-page report of a South African debate in Parliament.

Remenyi, the violinist, appears to be again creating a great sensation in Natal.

President Kruger says he is anxious to forward railway development as much as possible.

The return of President Reitz to Bloemfontein, with his bride, was made the occasion of much rejoicing.

The Grand Cross of the Lion of the Netherlands has been conferred upon President Paul Kruger, of the Transvaal.

Mining engineers of high class and world-wide experience are pouring into the Transvaal from all parts of the mining world.

Hardly ever before has such great interest been manifested in Parliament in South African affairs in general as has just been displayed in the debate on the Address.

The block at Port Elizabeth is assuming very serious proportions, and unless something is done promptly work will come almost to a standstill. The great want is jetty accommodation and cranage.

Regards,

Ellen Stanton

Email: harprulz@bellsouth.net