RED CROSS FUNDS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18551, 28 November 1925, Page 19

RED CROSS FUNDS.

TO THX EDITOR OP "THE PKESS." &i r > —On my return from tho lied Grass annual meeting, my attention was drawn to a Press Association telegram which appeared in your columns yesterday and contained the following:—"The action of tho Government in retaining ihe sum of £300,000, winch the British lied Cross returned to the Now Zealand Society at the termination of the war, was adversely criticised by Mr J. A. Fleshcr." As this statement, made without proper knowledge, is not in accordance with fact, and is calculated to put all parties concerned-in a false position, may I be permitted to explain that the Government was not referred to in the discussion, nor is the amount iuvohcrl the large sum of £300.000, but £30.000:-

This sum was never in the hands of the ■Government, so could not bo retained by it. No remarks of mine could by auv stretch of imagination be so twisted as to convey that impression. I.u order that the position may be properly understood, may 1 state that after tho termination of the war, the British Red Cross Society, finding itself in possession of large surplus funds, asked the Tied Cross Societies in tho various Dominions to accept gifts of moneys for Hed Cross purposes:- The amount given to the New Zealand Red Cross Society was £30.000. This sum was remitted to the New Zealand Society through the High Commissioner's office. "With tho approval 'of Lord Liverpool, then Gov-ernor-General, the amount given to New Zealand was earmarked for peace time activities, and with it provision was made for the establishment of four Red Cross Nursing Scholarships tenablo at Bedford College, London. Although no conditions whatever were imposed by tho British Society in respect of its gift 'to New Zealand, the War Funds Department claims that it comes under the provisions of the War Funds Act.

The Red Cross Executive contends otherwise.

This matter has been tho subject of discussion for some considerable time and comes up at every meeting of the Executive. The New Zealand Executive is anxious to reach finality so that it may proceed with it& peace time programme. Knowing the position as I do, 1 wish to make it perfectly clear that there is no foundation whatever for the statement that I adversely criticised the Government for retaining the sum of £300,000, or any other amount which had been returned by the British Red Cross .Society to the New Zealand Society at the -termination of the war.

As a matter of fact the sum given (£30,000) lias not only been received, hut has a]so teen invested by t-b© New Zealand Society, and the income liaS been used to defray the cost of and incidental to the_ Red Cross Scholarships. Any criticism offered had relation to tho apparently inconsistent administration of the Funds Department. In justice to the Government and all concerned, I trust you will publish this explanation.—lours, etc. J. A. FI/ESHIJR. 'Chairman, Canterbury Red Gross . Executive. Cliristchurch, November 27th.