"OUR DAY" RED CROSS DRIVE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 291, 28 August 1918, Page 3

"OUR DAY" RED CROSS DRIVE

WELLINGTON DISTRICT EFFORT FOR OUR WOUNDED. A meeting of representatives of various societies : n Wellington engaged in patriotic and other work, as well as 1 citizens generally, wa» held.' in the Council Chambers last evening to con- : sjder arrangements for semiring- tJia best results- in response to the "Our Day" appeal for the British Red Cross. Tho Mayor (.Mr. J. P. Luke) presided. In opening the business of the even- ; ing, Mr. Luke mentioned that he had received apologies from Colonel Moorhou'se, General Henderson, Mr. J. Macintosh, Sir. Young (president of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Rod Gross), and several others. Pass-, ing on to other matters, he explained j that the meeting had been held not becanss there was any slackening of effort or loss of enthusiasm for Red Cross work on tho part of workers, but because they wanted to make the best possible effort for securing the money which was so imperative for the-con-tinuance of Red Cross work, and for the building up of necessary funds. During the year which had ended on March 31 the total value of their work had amounted! to £67,184. Mr. Luke outlined the different branches of work dealt with by the Red Cross, including the hospital ships, andjalso the New Zealand Red Cross organisation at Home for which Colonel Rhodes was tho representative. Mr. Shirtcliffe, who spoke on behalf of ilr. T. Young, also emphasised tho fact that tho meeting had been called to carry through successfully the special effort which was to be made for tho British Red Cross appeal. Thero had been no slackening of effort in tho Wellington district. The Red Cross, wjtich was in no shape or form a work of charity, was the only organisation that had international recognition, and so was able to work for the relief of the sick and wounded wherever and whoever they were. By the Geneva Convention it was not able to work for well men, and so was not able to work as a body with other organisations, but only as individuals. .It was hoped to raise in New Zealand altogether a sum of £220,000, of which £75,000 would be Wellington city and district's share. Of this £220,000 they proposed to hand over £100,000 to the British Red Cross in answer to their appeal, £80,000 to the London Committee of the New Zealand R«1 Cross, and £40,000 for Red Cross' requirements in New Zealand, The means by which they hoped to raise this' sum of £75,000 from the Wellington district was by a Red Cross drive. . Mr. Carr, who was asked to describe the organisation of a Red Cross drive as practised in Sydney, told his audience that when carried out in that city recently a sum of £100,000 had been secured. The city had been divided into areas, and each area was thoroughly canvassed by a band of Red Cross workers. No street days were necessary, no selling of badges and buttons, and 110 standing at street corners for the length of the day, and all that was taken was clear profit. Flags were sold at a price of sa. each (payable by instalments if necessary), and even in tho poorest of houses they were to be seen in the windows, showing that

tho inmates were doing their part in helping the work Cor the sick and wounded. As mentioned each area had. its own hand of workers, who acted, as ' inspectors and "boosters," andi there was no overlapping. It was decided that the effort to be niada should tako the form of a Red Cross drive, and a committee was formed of all present in the room, with power to add to their number, the committee to be styled the Wellington City "Our Day" Committee. Mr. J. L. Griffin was olccted lion, secretary to the committee and executive, and Mr. H. D. Vickery lion, treasurer. The Mayor was elected president. The Executive Committee which was formed consists of the following:—Moadames .T. P. Luke, Firth, W. Nathan, L. Bluwlell, Preston, Waters, Dose, Wilford, Pearce, Gibbons, Sleeman, Moorlwuse, ~ HallThompson. Porter. M. Myers. Miss Coates, Miss Sybil Nathan, Captain Hall-Thomnson, Messrs. J. P. Luke, Carr, H. Nathan, Helliwell, Firtli, Gilbertson. Butt. Tripp, Fuller, Holmes, Shirtcliffe, and Colonel Moorltouse. It was proposed and carried thatall other "organisations be asked to assist. Special mention was made of tho assistance to the cause given by tho Copper Trail and its organisers.