RED CROSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 183, 4 August 1936, Page 10

RED CROSS.

AUCKLAND CENTRE. FORMATION DECIDED UPON. COMMITTEE APPOINTED. A decision to form an Auckland centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society (Incorporated) was made at a largely attended meeting held at the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. The Deputy-Mayor of Auckland. - the Hon. B. Martin, who presided, apologised for the absence of the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, who Is away from Auckland. Sir James Gimson, president of the British Red Cross in Auckland, said that the object of the meeting was not to form a new organisation but to regularise the work under the auspices of the Red Cross. The movement was commenced in Auckland 20 years ago. and had since functioned under the Order of St. John. Subsequently there bad been the formation of the New Zealand Red Cross Society, and that had brought about the present position. Ithad become an off-shoot of the London movement. They had had no difficulties with the St: John organisation • in Auckland, but they all agreed that now was the (time to regularise the work. He hoped that the proposal would be supported in -order to place the Auckland work on a proper basis. It was gratifying to see that interest had been maintained in the work since 1910. and it was highly important that the "work should go on with the formation of acentral committee under the auspices of the New Zealand Red Cross Society. The peace side of the work was very important. If a centre were formed in Auckland the British Red Cross would be glad to negotiate to further the movement and facilitate the work in every way. National Society. Major J. Abel, chairman of the New Zealand executive of the Red Cross Society, said that they did not want tc disturb the work that was being done. The organisation was formed six years ago; they were asked to form a national society in New Zealand, and there could only be one society in any .country. 1 That had been granted to them, and they were the national Red Cross Society. The proposal was that the members of the Auckland branch should go out and become the Auckland branch of the Red Cross Society. At present the Red Cross had a membership of 40,000,000, and the junior membership was now 10,500,000. In New Zealand the work was divided into senior and junior sections. Major Abel pointed out that the peacetime work in New Zealand included the large amount of assistance given at the time of ihe Napier earthquake. In the event oft" any disaster there was a considerable* amount available for any particular district. The. junior Red Cross was a big portion of the work, and had been so'in Wellington for years. There was no need to overlap with the Order of St. John. They could not amalgamate, but they could co-operate. t Sister Stringer spoke on the work of the junior Red Cross. Major Abel read correspondence from Sir Heaton Rhodes, Colonel J. Esson and Dr. A. G. Paterson eulogising the A 'motion to form an Auckland centre was carried unanimously. One of the ladies present asked why they had suggested winding up, and considered that a branch should not be formed when there was one in existence.

When it was decided to form a com'mittee, Mr. J. W. Kendall, president of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association, asked for representation of the association on the committee. Sir James Gunson said that they could be represented by individuals. Mr. Kendall said that they had never received justice from the body in charge of the war funds, and lie could not see why the R.S.A. should not be represented. • Sir James Gunson replied that the R'.S.A. would be represented by Mr. Kendall on the- committee. Election of Committee. The following officers were elected: President,. Sir James Gunson; hon. treasurer, Mr. A. R. Elder; secretary, Mr. T. B. Kay; committee, the Rev. W. C Wood, Messrs. C. M. McCullough, G. Patterson, H. J. White, A. R. Elder, G. H. Fleming, Rev. G. Coats, Dr. A. Knight, Messrs. J. Molloy, J. W. Kendall, W. M. White, J. F. Ewen, T. McNab. H. T. Goldie, G. Mills, Mesdames Austin Carr, A. Milburn, Dr. Margaret Knight, Mesdames M. C. McComb, J. W. Sharman, G. M. Johnston, A. M. Ferguson, J. B. Macfarlane, Misses C. J. Murray and R. J. Mirams. Nomination to the committee was declined by Messrs. C. J. Tunks and S. E. Langstone, because they were fully engaged with the work of the Order of St. John. It was decided that the committee should have power to nominate twelve members to a reformed joint committee with the Order of St. John in Auckland.

Steeplechasing was a favourite sport long before the institution of its greatest test race, and owed its origin and name to cross-country races run by owner-riders with some prominent landmark, usually a church steeple, as start and goal. An early match of the kind was recorded in Ireland in 1752, the course being four miles and a half, from | the church of Buttevant to tho steeple 1 of St. Leger Church.