RELIEF FOR GREECE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 62, 22 December 1945, Page 3

RELIEF FOR GREECE

PERSONNEL OF CORSO PARTY FAREWELL GATHERING AT WELLINGTON (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 21. The party of New Zealand relief workers which is proceeding to Greece as representatives of the New Zealand Council of Organisations for Relief Service Overseas to assist under UNRRA in the restoration of the health and Avell-being of the Greek people Avas bidden fareAVoll ai a gathering in the Wellington Town Hall today. The party of 22 members is under the leadership of Dr. Sylvia Chapman (Wellington) and is made up of two health teams, a relief refugee team, and a laboratory team. Mr J. A. Horne, of Hamilton, is dtputy-lead-er and chiqf administrative officer and the chief transport officer is Mr B. A. Watts (Whakatane). The full list of personnel, to which there may be last-minute additions, is as folloAVs: —First public health team, Dr. Sylvia Chapman, senior medical officer: Dr. Alison Hunter (Wanganui), medical officer; Miss I. M. McLean (North Auckland), nurse; Miss Iris Lawson (Dannevirke), nursing as-

sistant; Miss Kathleen White (Christchurch), dispenser; Mr J. A. Horne, adjutant for stores, transport, and accounts; Mr W. O Petty (Masterton), transport officer; Miss Margaret Barnford (Dunedin), assistant transport officer. Second public health team: Dr. Athol Patterson (Wanganui), medical officer and leader of the team: Miss W. W. McGreger (Rangitikei), nurse; Miss Margaret Wood (North Canterbury), nursing assistant; Mr T. M. Stephens (Wellington), adjutant of stores, transport arid accounts; Miss Louise Logan (Dunedin), transport of- , ficer. Relief refugee team; Mr G. H, ; Gilling (Rotorua), leader; Rev. L. A. I Hayman (Christchurch), adjutant; 1 Miss Margaret McLean (Waikato), ] registrar; Miss Elsi Steven (Napier), health officer; Mr B. A. Watts, trans- i port officer; Mr J. McDevitt, interpreter. Laboratory team: Miss Pauline - Buddie, B.Sc. (Auckland), technician 1 and leader, and bacteriologist; Mr D. H. Diggle (Napier), assistant technician; Miss Verna Corbett (Napier), ’ driver-clerk. -

Big Task Ahead The magnitude of the task facing the team in Greece Avas' emphasised by the vice-chairman of CORSO (Mr G. C. White), in introducing the party to the gathering. Mr White said there had beta a good deal of criticism in NeAV Zealand of the CORSO organisation and untrue reports had been made from the shelter of anonymity. The latter he regarded as despicable. “We shall carry on in our task just so long as the Government wishes us to carry on,” he declared. “So long as we are in our present position Ave shall carry on undeflected from our course. If the Government should come along and say that it wishes some other organisation to take over Ave shall withdraw Avithout grumbling.”

The action of groups of people who had from their own household stocks contributed four cases of tinned goods to add to the supplies which, the party was carrying Avith it for the people of Greece was praised by Mr White. The congratulations and good Avishes of the Government to iriembers of the party Avas expressed by the Act-ing-Prime Minister (the Hon. *W. Nash),, No one should under-rate the sacrifices which they Avere making in undertaking their task. "Your work may be even harder than the trails of war,” said Mr Nash, addressing the party. “You will have to go into hard, difficult country. Your courage will be needed to the full, but through you New Zealand is endeavouring to do all it can to continue the standard of its work since 1939. I thank Greece for all she has done for New Zealand and wish you all good luck and success in your task.”