POSITION OF RED CROSS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23589, 17 March 1942, Page 6

POSITION OF RED CROSS

PATRIOTIC FUND APPEAL The Red Cross Society a. an international neutral organisation could not support an appeal for funds for the benefit of the fighting forces, though members individually would do all they could to assist. That explanation of the position of the Rod Cross was made by the chairman of the New Zealand Joint Council of the Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John (Dr. J. Leslie Will) at a patriotic fund meeting at Christchurch last evening. Dr Will drew attention to the Canterbury Patriotic Council’s advertisement for its £250,000 appeal, which specified beneficiaries including the fighting forces, sick and wounded, and prisoners of war. He suggested that the better way would be to tel. the Red Cross how much was reo ired for the benefit of the sick and wounded and the prisoners of war. The Red Cross would collect that amount, and then members would all wholeheartedly assist in the general patriotic appeal, as individuals, but not under the emblem of the Red Cross. Unless his suggestion were adopted, he did not think the appeal would be a success from either point of view and he was stating the position of the Red Cross so that the meeting could sec the best w-y to raise the money required. The secretary of the patriotic council (Mr H. S. Feast) expressed regret at the attitude of the Red Cross, because he thought it would dampen enthusiasm for the big appeal. When the first sick and wounded appeal was made, the patriotic council deferred its own appeal and threw all its weight behind the Joint Council, He could not see that it mattered greatly if the general appeal went forward, including the Red Cross quota, which would be administered by the Joint Council, Other speakers agreed with him that there should be a united effort. Dr. Will replied that the matter was one of fact and could not be argued It was under discussion between the Joint Council and the National Patriotic Fu id Board.