RED CROSS CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19971, 4 July 1930, Page 19

RED CROSS CONFERENCE.

OPBNED BY DUKE OF YORK. ACTIVITIES IN NEW ZEALAND. (raou one ow* coxbespondsnt.) LONDON, May 30. St. James's Palace, recently the scene of the London Naval Conference, is being used this week for the Empire Bed Cross Conference. On the walls of the great hall in which the plenary meetings are held are the portraits of a soore of England's kings and queens; Boyalty was represented at the formal opening of the Conference on Monday by the Duke of York, who was accompanied by Princess Helena Victoria, a member of the Council, i New Zealand delegates present were: Mr Bernard Tripp, C.8.E., Miss J. E. Murray, M.8.E., Miss Sybil Nathan, M.8.E., the Bev. V. G. Bryan King, 0.8. E., Miss Wilson, and Dr. J. H. Beaumont. The conference is attended by delegates from the Bed Cross organisations of the Dominions and Colonies, and from the various branches of the British Society, and also by representatives of the International Bed Cross and the League of Bed Cross Societies. Sir Arthur Stanley, a vice-chairaan of the council of the British Society, received the Duke of York and invited him to open the conference and welcome the dolegates. "J aril happy to recall the associations of my family with the society,'' said the Duke in the course of his speech. "Not only is the King its patron, and tho Queen its president, but their Majesties never fail to take a deep and unceasing interest in ite activities. (Cheers.) "About 00 years have elapsed since the society started as a wartime organisatlon, and never was its efficiency more highly tested and proved than in the great World War in 1914-18. I do not propose to dwell on that subject, except to remind you that in the Star and Garter Home at Bichmond, which r hope many of you will visit, you will find a wonderful example of what the society has done, and is still doing, for those who suffered mutilation and disablement in the Great War. Peace-time Activities. "It is to its peace-time activities that I would ask you to turn your attention to-day. I might point to many aspects of tho peace-time work of the society in this country with which I hope you will make personal acquaintance during your stay; but I would specially suggest that, if you are able, you will visit the Central Clinic, which the society has recently built and equipped in Peto place, Marylebone road, for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic rheumatism. I am convinced that not one of yon will regret a single moment of the time you spend there. "I have recently been reading the reports of the Bed Cross work in India, Canada, South Africa, and Australia. Of the first three, I regret I have had no experience derived from personal eontact. But all deserve high praise, particularly such features as the child welfare work in India, the promotion of health education in South Africa, the work in the pioneer districts, and the system of visiting house-keepers to help the women and children in Canada. I was, however, fortunate enough three years ago in being able to visit Australia—an experience of which both the Duehess and I retain many happy memories—and there I was able to learn personally of the splendid achievements in that great Commonwealth, of the scheme for fighting tuberculosis, the handicraft shops and other developments. TTnique Service to Humanity. "To-day what we want to see is the expansion of the activities of the society to all parts of tho British Empire and the civilised world. We want the work more widely knowu and more generally co-ordinated. The Bed Cross is giving unique service to the whole of humanity, and if we can extend its circle among all nations, we shall do much to help on the progress of the human race. "Another branch of the society's work to which I wish to draw your attention is the Junior Bed Cross. It

has been started among children, both in this country and elsewhere, and it has unlimited possibilities. Bemembering that the youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity, we must exert ourselves to foster the interest of the young in the formation of healthy habits of living and in doing all they can to help the sick and suffering. "Had I the time, I would like to mention by name all those who have done so much for the Bed Cross. This, however, is impossible, but I do wish te> pay my tribute to the devoted and selfsacrificing labours of Sir Arthur StanIcy, to whom we owe so much. He has sot an example; and if every worker will follow it the permanent prosperity of this groat cause, which wo have so much at heart, is ensured. Once again I bid you welcome, and I earnestly hope . that your stay in this country may be a very happy and enjoyable one." Great Development. Lord Passfleld, Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and the Colonies, welcoming the delegates on behalf of the Government, said the note of the organisation was expansion. There was great development in the Dominions, India, and elsewhere. He was struck with the importance of the work of the Canadian outpost hospitals and centres, which furnished an example of what could be done in a vast territory of small scattered populations. In Australia, important work was being undertaken against tuberculosis. There ought to be no tuberculosis in Australia. It was possible, with adequate work and attention, practically to get rid of that scourge in the whole of Australia at no distant date. He commended the nursing work in New Zealand, and, with regard to South Africa, noted that the headquarters were not at Cape Town but at Johannesburg, showing how the needs of the case campelled the work to be carried northward from the older centre. Ho referred to the enormous needs of the great continent of Africa, where the British people were responsible for the health and welfare of betweon 40,000,000 and 50,000,000 natives. Auxiliary to Government Services. The Bed Cross, he continued, was no longer exclusively a war-time organisation. Public opinion, he thought, was hardly yet adequately aware of the now development which had taken place within the last few years in the expansion of the work to everything that related to the health and welfare of the population. He paid his testimony to the extraordinary value of this voluntary work as an auxiliary to the Government services in health and welfare. In the sparsely populated parts of the Empire the district officer or commissioner would fail to cope with the problems with which he had to deal unless he had the assistance of a voluntary auxiliary, and even io this country the hospital authorities were making ' more and more use of voluntary effort. He strongly favoured voluntary organisation as a supplement to Government and the Colonies. The voluntary organisation had always the advantages of initiative and experiment, but it had one limitation. It could not be entrusted with coercive powers. For example, they would never entrust a voluntary organisation with the care of the insane. Beferencea to the work in the Do* minions were made by Miss P. Robertson (Australia), Mrs O. B. Waagen (Canada), Major-General Sir H. Symons (India), Mrs Berman (South Africa), and Mr Bernard Tripp (New Zealand). Work in New Zealand. After thanking the Duke of York for his words of welcome, Mr Bernard Tripp said it was always a great pleasure for New Zealaoders to come back to the Old Country. The British Bed Cross Society had always treated the delegates with the greatest hospi* tality. Bed Cross work for ex-soldier» was still going on in the Dominion. There were three convalescent homes for soldiers who had not yet got over the effects of the war. They were carrying on peace work in the form of instruction in First Aid, Home Nursing, and Hygiene. During year 1050 students gained their proficiency corti* flcates. There were free lectures for Public Health, and they had done a great deal in organising Voluntary Aid Detachments. They were forming an Unemployment Belief Committee, the function of which was to endeavour to find employment for men broken down in health and unfitted for heavy work. They were also financing and' encourag-

ing the development of the Junior Bed Cross work. The New Zealand delegates looked forward with great pleasure to this conference. They expected to take back a great deal o£ useful information to their little country as a result of their visit. As an indication of the hospitality which is being extended, to the delegates it was announced that they had bees made honorary members of the Boy&l Empire Society; the male delegates honorary members of the Boyal Automobile Club, and the Wellington Club; and the ladies honorary members of the Ladies' Golfing Club and the V.A.D. Club.