JUNIOR RED CROSS CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 17, 14 October 1927, Page 14

JUNIOR RED CROSS CONFERENCE

REPORT FROM MRS. L- O. H TRIPP.

Mrs. L. O. 11. Tripp, who attended a meeting of Junior Red Cross Leagues in Brussels, writes to the New Zealand headquarters as follows “Mr. Noll', president of the Belgian Red Cross, presided, and gave us an address of welcome. He was by Mr. Bauwens, the secret ary General public Arts and Sciences. Mr. Banwens told us that the Minister was impressed with the work of J ll6 Red Cross in Belgium and hoped that teachings of the Junior Red Cross would be introduced into every school in Belgium. After these gentlemen had addressed us, Mr. Nolf, who had to leave the conference, asked us to elect a chairman, and we elected Mr. Dronsart, Director-General of the Red Cross in Belgium. Mr. Dronsart then addressed the meeting on the J un i° r organisation. He was followed by Dr. Sand, who spoke on the relationship between the three kinds of Junior Red Cross activities. Dr. Sand also acted most of the time as interpreter, and vou could not have had a better man. Mrs. Tripp spoke on behalf of b<ew Zealand. After thanking them for their hospitality and kindness to our delegates, she told them that the very fact that 34 countries thought fit to send delegates to the conference spoke for itself, and the fact that the different countries all got to. know each other must do a great deal of good.. Several speakers said that their Governments were taking. a keen interest in the work of the Junior Red Cross.. Dr. Driml, who is the representative of the Ministry of Public Health m Czecho-Slovakia, read a very interesting paper on health, the principal requirement of education. He is going to see that the Junior Red Cross teachings are introduced into every school tn his country. . “When speaking,” continues Mrs. Tripp, “I told the conference about the work in New Zealand, which, aS far as I can gather is very similar to the work in other countries. I also told them that the head of the Education Department in New Zealand attended the last annual meeting, and that lie was a very keen supporter of the Junior Red Cross work, . and as there had been considerable discussion on the health of children, I told them I did not think it would be out of place if I referred to the great work that was done in New Zealand by Sir Truby King in protecting the lives of babies—as I said, future Junior Red Cross members. The conference seemed to appreciate what I said, and many of the representatives asked me questions about the New Zealand work. The members of the Belgian Red Cross could not have done more for ns than they did. They arranged two expeditions so that we could see something of Belgium. The first day we went to Ostend, and then we were shown over the sanatorium for crippled children, where they are being treated with. the sun treatment and with artificial light treatment. . Then we were taken to an institution for the children of consumptive parents. These children are taken awav from their parents, and are put in this institution. . The principal object of this institution is to look after the health of the children; at the same time they are, of course, instructed in ordinary education. Lessons are given them on the sands by the seashore, so as to keep the children out in the oj>en as much as possible. Then we were taken to another institution which has been founded by a patriotic citizen for the object of taking in and instructing the children who are run down or in delicate health. In this institution the children pay a fee, and they remain there from three to nine months. The object of the institution is to make children healthy so that they can resist tuberculosis. After, seeing these institutions we were driven to Bruges, and then back to Ostend. On another day, when I was not present, the delegates were driven out to Waterloo, and they saw another institution there. I forgot to mention that when we arrived, at Ostend we were met by some girls, members of the Junior Red Cross, who presented to each of us a rose,, and we were told that many of these girls look after different children in the sanatoriums. They visit them occasionally and sometimes take them small presents.”