RED CROSS CENTRE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 30, 15 November 1943, Page 2

RED CROSS CENTRE.

81-MONTHLY MEETING. PRISONERS NEED FOOD MOST. Prisoners of war were in greater need of food than clothing, said the chairman (Mrs F. Curtis), reporting on a meeting of the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the Red Cross Society at the bi-monthly meeting of the Mid-Canterbury Centre of the Society. Large stocks of clothing had accumulated at Geneva, obviating the need of sending it in parcels. Chocolate was a much-needed item.

Support given the Chinese Red Cross appeal and the Turkish earthquake relief fund appeal, both of Which had closed, was very good and the funds raised exceeded anticipations, stated a letter from the Dominion Secretary of the New Zealand Red Cross Society (Mr M. S. Galway). The Dominion executive was considering whether a balance of £471 in' the Turkish relief fund could be diverted to India. The Chinese appeal realised more than £3OOO. The meeting approved the action of Mrs Curtis and the secretary (Mrs J. Bennett) in arranging to send 751 b of cake and biscuits to the Queen Mary Hospital at Hanmer during each Week in November. It was reported by the treasurer (Mr R. C. Major) that during the last few months £92 was raised for Chinese relief, £33 for Turkish relief and £4 for the Te Tawa Convalescent Home.

A letter from the Matron of the Ashburton Public Hospital (Miss iV. E. Dearsley) expressed deep appreciation of gifts provided by the Centre for servicemen patients.

It was announced that the International Red Cross delegate for Australia and New Zealand at Geneva (Dr. Morel) would visit Ashburton in the New Year.