NON-POLITICAL.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15917, 2 June 1917, Page 9

NON-POLITICAL.

THE POLICY OF THE BED CROSS

After the minutes had been read at yesterday's meeting of the executive of the Red Cross, reference was made by Mr E. Nordon to tho fact that on a recent Saturday people who patronised the Red Cross Depot in Cathedral square were asked to sign a petition in favour of six o'clock closing. Mr Nordon said that the decision of he executivo at its previous meeting, . lot to accept tho offer of the proceeds of a ball proposed to be held to show appreciation of the work done by the ladies at the recent municipal elections, met with his approval, and he concurred with tho opinion then expressed that the Bed Cross should not connect itself with any political questions, as tho supporters of the Red , Dross were of all shades of political colour. He desired to draw attention, however, to the fact that on a. recent Saturday, when the W.C.T.U. were |n charge of tho Red Cross Sales \ Depot, the ladies in charge placed before all who went into tho shop a: petition in favour of six o'clock clos- . ing. He. did not wish to go into the merits or demerits of that question, out he that what had been 'done was quite improper, and that, in the. future, action of a similar ennr- ~ *®ter should be discountenanced., Ho ' did not blame those who ran the shop. .. When tho ladies got into tho shop it was > a difficult matter to stop them; in the present instance it had been a ques--1 ■ tioo of good taste. He thought it N should be definitely stated that in ,;v future the Red Cross would not connect itself with any political questions. People who thought differently, from those who signed the potition referred w, but who were strong supporters of the Red Cross, had telephoned to him expressing 'their disapproval of what • had been done on tho occasion he referred to. Tho chairman (Mr Arthur E. G. Rhodes) said that be regretted to say Wat he did not know that those who • * e ®t to tho Sales Depot on the Sntardov referred to had been asked to - i P ct * t ' on - Ho thought that the Red Cross should keep itself apart from any political questions, whether they .were questious connected with , Ponoral or with municipal politics. Nor should Red Cross workers,'while weari '?g the Red Cross uniform, bo associated with such questions. H. L. Bowker, of the Red Cross '.Sales Depot, said that tho action referred to by Mr Nordon was not done vjnth the permission of the Sales Depot I ' ■ or with their knowledge. 1 m Nordon said that ho did not nil! 0 the committee in the matter. | I : Tho chairman thought it was an j oversight on tho part of those ron- j cerned he did not think they could - have thought of it. Ho was quite r; pgainst the Red Cross being mixed up p. in any question of public politics. ii, MrM. J. Gresson: Wo already made b; that clear at our last meeting. ? The subject then dropped.