RED CROSS WORK

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19258, 13 March 1928, Page 2

RED CROSS WORK

—♦ — BRITISH SECRETARY ENTERTAINED. LUNCHEON AT BALLANTYNE'S

At luncheon at Uallaiityiie's ye*tcruuy members oi the executive ol uio Canterbury ived Cross Centre met JLSrigadicr-uenenil H. a. L'huinpain, C.iU.G., secretary oi the British lied Cross society, and representatives ol the League 01 Hed doss Societies, atui Mrs Champain. luncheon was served at tables arranged in the form of a cross and attractively decorated with led geraniums. Mr J. A. l'lesher, chairman of the Canterbury centre or! the British Kod Cross, ana the Order of tit. John, presided, and others present were:—Mrs Flesher, Lady "Wigram, women's executive of the Red Cross, Mrs A. Boyle, Sir Heaton and Lady Rhodes, Mrs H. H. Smith, Mr H. Holland, M.P., chairman of the Christchurch Patriotic Society, and Mrs Holland, Mr H. L. Bowker, Mr W. D. Bishop, Mr and Mrs C. J. Treleaven, Miss Christian, Mrs,Peate, Miss Hynes, Miss MeLeod, matron of the Upper Sanatorium, Miss Chamberlain, matron ol Rannerdale Home, Mr H. Maxwell, chairman of the Rannerdale Home committee, Mr R. A. Cuthbert, president of the Cliristchiirch branch of the R.S.A., and Miss Guthrie.

"The occasion is unique and historic," said Mr Flesher. "General Champain and Mrs Champain are here for a dual purpose—they are getting into close touch with the Red Cross workers and are, at the same time, seeing the beauties of New Zealand." The General had had a distinguished military career, he said. He had commanded the Gurkha Rifles in 1891, and later served on the North-West Frontier in India wtih Lord Curzon. Subsequently, lie was in the Indian services with Lord Carmichael. He commanded the Gurkhas during the Great War, in France, and later in Egypt. After 1918 he was in command of the British forces ,in the north of Persia, opposing the Bolsheviks. Finally, after his retirement from military service, he was appointed general secretary of the British Red Cross Society. The Red Cross organisation in New Zealand came into being as a result of the war, and there had always been a wonderfully liberal response to appeals for assistance from the general public of the Dominion. It was interesting to note that the Society had'its earliest support in Canterbury, and those who were unable to undertake active service expended their efforts with the Red Cross. After the Armistice many people began to cease their operations, but not so _ the Red Cross, which was always available for assistance to maimed and sick men. In 1919-20, 390 men were patients in hospitals and sanatoria, and were costing the organisation £12,192 to support them in necessary comforts. The accumulated, funds amounted to £25,654, and through the years the numbers in the hospitals varied, rising to 520. Gradually the available money became reduced and now £3844 was spent per annum. on hospital comforts for exservice men. In the meantime the accumulated fufids were also decreasing, the figure now being £16,639. The work would go on for a considerable time yet and the accumulated funds would last for only another 7 or 8 years. But as far as one could men would never go short of comforts as the other districts would help when one district's funds became exhausted.

Brigadier-General Champain said that he represented the international body of the Red Cross and his idea in coming to New Zealand was to find out how Red Cross work was faring here and to have an exchange of views. The League was formed as the result of the vast organisations which had been constituted during hostilities. The League of Nations had recommended to the various Governments that the Red Cross societies should function in times of; peace as- well as in times of war. Europe and America had taken up the idea with considerable keenness, and it had worked most advantageously during the '. Mississippi floods and the disastrous earthquake in Japan. It was recognised that the first worlc was among ex-service men, however. It had been calculated that it would take another fifteen years to see the funds exhausted, but that would not, unfortunately, see the end of suffering. As a result of bis visit to Australia and New Zealand he had seen the Red Cross work was of a ieal and genuine value, and the men were full of gratitude and thanks. Another branch of the work was the carrying out of health propaganda among school schildren, and generally encouraging the young idea in Red ■ Cross activities. One of its ol>jects was to function in times of emergency, such as the epidemic whMi struck New Zealand in 191&. Yesterday afternoon Bripadier-Gen-erai Champain visited the Sanatorium and chatted with the ex-service men, and this afternoon he will attend an. "at home" at Rannerdale Home.