RED CROSS POST

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 88, 14 April 1945, Page 6

RED CROSS POST

"A MISTAKE WAS MADE"

QUESTION OP RESPONSIBILITY O.C. WHANGAREI, this day. "A mistake was made. I don't think they knew their choice was a man who had been retained on appeal as essential," stated Mr. C. G. White, Dominion chairman of the Red Cross Society, in referring to the appointment of Mr. Meachen as Rpd Cross Commissioner in the Middle East, in addressing members of the Kaikohe Chamber of Commerce. He emphasised that the selection was made without any consultation of himself as Red Cross chairman, and ultimately the appointment was made by the Patriotic Fund Board. „ . t "They can try to get out of it as best they can, but the fact remains that they did make the appointment," said Mr. White. "I, as chairman of the Red Cross Society, knew nothing of it until I saw it announced in the papers. Our society definitely had nothing to do with it." Stating the belief that the people who made the appointment had not known all details, Mr. White said: "I don't think anybody in his sober senses would have passed over servicemen for a man on appeal.' Mr. White did not want this topic, on which he had been asked to comment by chamber members, to affect patriotic collections. "The New Zealanders are in action again in Italy, he said. "Fighting will be severe, and casualties may be high. We must not relax our efforts now."