“Need To Retain Fund’s Image”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31346, 17 April 1967, Page 2

“Need To Retain Fund’s Image”

The image of the Save The Children Fund was that of a needy child overseas, and to ask for money for any of the children of this country would lose a lot of support for the fund, said Dr. D. L. Richwhite on the last day of the annual meeting and conference of the fund on Saturday morning.

People are giving to help thousands of children overseas who need help and the fund sets out to put this image across. We should be opposed to any New Zealand aid except in the case of a disaster,” he said. Dr. Richwhite was replying to a remit from the Wairarapa branch, “that the branch be given permission to allow one fund-raising effort to be in aid of local efforts.” The remit was lost

“We are helping those who cannot help themselves, and we should keep an eye on this target and not be diverted," said Dr. Richwhite. Mr C. R. Smith (Waikato) said that with New Zealand’s social welfare set-up there were enough organisations to care for children. A principle of the fund was to get governments to take the responsibility of looking after needy children. This was already being done in New Zealand. Mrs M. H. Weavers, presi-

dent of the Wairarapa branch, said that there Was a definite need in her district. In country areas there was not the wealth of welfare organisations as in the cities. Mr K. B. Hunter, of the Wellington branch, said that her branch had received a request from the Pre-School Association for assistance to provide equipment for a playcentre at the Wellington Hospital. The branch wished to hear what the conference felt about the request before replying, she said. The position had now been clarified. After much discussion in committee the conference voted that “the Save The Children Fund not join with the Red Cross joint appeal.” The discussion arose from a Wairarapa branch remit asking that the fund join with the Red Cross in a joint appeal *o raise money for Vietnam.