RED CROSS WORK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11, 13 January 1945, Page 7

RED CROSS WORK

"EXPENSIVE LUXURY"

COMMISSIONER NOT NEEDED?

GISBORNE, this day

"I consider the appointment of a New Zealand Red Cross Commissioner to the Middle East is .an expensive luxury and one that could have been obviated," said Colonel A. S. Muir, who recently returned from the Middle East, where he was A.Q.M.G. for the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He added that the New Zealand Medical Corps administration was not excelled by any other force.

The establishment of a New Zealand commissioner had never been necessary and the replacement of Major Tweedy by another officer was just perpetuating what had been an extravagant and unwarranted waste of Red Cross funds, stated Colonel Muir. Prior to the arrival in the Middle East of the New Zealand Red Cross commissioner Red Cross work had been directed by the Director of Medical Services, 2nd N.Z.E.F., in conjunction with the commissioner of the New Zealand Patriotic Funds Board. Distribution through normal medical channels worked well and was achieved at no cost to the Red Cross funds. The Red Cross service to New Zealand patients in British and South African hospitals was maintained by lady visitors who included Lady Freyberg, Mrs. Blackford and New Zealand Waac personnel. Tribute to Colonel Waitei Red Cross activities in the prison-ers-of-war field were oared for by Patriotic Fund Commissioner, Colonel F. Waite, who gave a lot of his time to this aspect of Red Cross work. Colonel Waite also supplied the director of Medical Services with cash from National Patriotic Funds as required for Red Cross expenditure. This he continued to do when the New Zealand Red Cross Commissioner arrived. "When the Red Cross Commissioner arrived in the Middle East he came with two staff cars and before very long added a truck to his motor transport establishment. He also took over a station-type car formerly used by lady visitors to hospitals. The Director of Medical Services used to co-ordinate the transportation of Red Cross stores with the delivery of army medical stores and I know of no instance when he failed to get all the vehicles he required immediately he needed them. Heavy Cost for Petrol Under the British Army regulations, petrol supplied to the Red Cross and other non-military organisations has to be paid for. With the advent of the commissioner in the Middle East, the Red Cross funds became liable for the cost of all petrol and tyres supplied for their vehicles. New Zealand medical units were widely dispersed, and the running that the Red Cross motor transport did was a very considerable liability. For petrol alone, it must have been very heavy. "I cast no aspersions on Major Tweedy," said Colonel Muir. "He did his job in a very capable way. He maintained most meticulous records of all his stores and transactions, and forwarded very extensive reports to the New Zealand Red Cross Board, where previously Red Cross reports of a comprehensive nature had been supplied by the Director of Medical Services. "It was always a mystery to the administrative staff of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force what the Red Cross gained by stationing a commissioner overseas. Beyond more detailed reports and more comprehensive accounting, no better service was given to the sick and wounded than that supplied when Red Cross activities were directed by the Director of Medical Services and the National Patriotic Fund Board's commissioners. What there definitely was, was increased expenditure in administration. This money could quite well have been saved for further comforts."