LETTER FROM MINISTER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 103, 22 December 1939, Page 5

LETTER FROM MINISTER

RED CROSS SOCIETIES

ADVICE RECEIVED BY COUNTY

CLERK

The following is a letter received by the County Clerk, Mr C. G. Lucas, from the Minister of Internal Affairs, lion. W. E. Parry, in response to a request for information regarding Red Cross activities; I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter relative to the Red Cross Society". In the fortnightly periodical of the Red Cross and St John Organisation, London, the following definition appears: "Under the International Red Cross Convention, the whole of the relief provided under the symbol of the Red Cross is for the sick and wounded of the Fighting Forces, Prisoners of War, interned in enemy or neutral countries, and civilians injured or sick as the result of hostile action.

"The Convention does not coA T er relief of any kind to healthy members of the Fighting Forces or the civil population, neither does it cover normal sick population in civilian hospitals nor evacuated mcn ; women and children,"

You will see from the aboA'c that it is impossible for the Red Cross Society, as q Society, to collect for

Provincial Funds, as the Provincial Funds arc being, and Avill be used, for combatant troops. Practically all moneys necessary for sick and wounded will be spent overseas, and it has been suggested that as the Red Cross Society can only collect for sick and wounded that they be collectors for tllie National Fund only. • This matter is r.ow under discussion with the National Patriotic Council, and the various Provincial Councils throughout Ncav Zealand. Should it be definitely decided that the Red Cross become Collectors for the National Fund only it has been arranged that they cannot collect in any district for the National Fund without the prior consent of the Chairman of a local authority or the Mayor of a Borough. The whole idea behind this is to prevent any overlapping. A conference Avas held recently Avith the Joint Council of the Order of Si. John and Red Cross, and they are issuing a circular to all their centres pointing out that although their Society can only collect for- sick and wounded they expect that their members, as individuals, Avill support all appeals for patriotic purposes.

I understand that the Auckland Provincial Council has supported the idea 'of the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the Red Gross Society being National collectors only.