PEACEFUL PURPOSES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 66, 11 December 1930, Page 13

PEACEFUL PURPOSES

Red Cross Society OUTLINE OF AIMS To many people the Red Cross Society is a war organisation which does its humanitarian work on and near the battlefields. They are inclined to forget its peace-time activities, equally humanitarian, which were spoken of briefly last evening by the Hon. W. E. Collins, M.L.C., president of the New Zealand Red Cross, Peacetime Section, at the annual distribution of awards, held in the Town Hall. “The movement to which we belong,” he said, “the New Zealand Red Cross Society, if of far-reaching international importance. “The British Red Cross Society,” he continued, “desires us to form a national Red Cross, there being allied to it 58 distinct national Red Cross societies. The objects of those within the movement are, firstly, the improvement of health; secondly, the prevention of disease; and lastly, the mitigation of distress throughout the world. There are more than .20 million members within the ranks—which will indicate to you its magnitude. The banner under which all the work is done, the Red Cross, enjoys respectful and reverent recognition at the hands of all nations. representing as it does the symbol of mercy. . “You will notice from time to time, vrhorcx epidemic or disaster has struck, in what ever part of the world, the. Red Cross organisation there has been quickly in the field with relief measure. It is the purpose of those directing the movement in New Zealand to build up an organisation which will function expeditiously and efficiently in any emergency. “Through the agency of the Ladies Red Cross Auxiliary we have a . body of women who are working to mitigate disstress among those in sickiiess, and those suffering through unemployment Lach case coming to our notice is sympathetically dealt with, and relief is immediate where merited. During the past winter garments have been repaired, renovated, and distributed at the rate of 2000 a month. The unemployment relief committee has met regularly, dealing with more than 500 cases, many of them exservicemen with dependants not in receipt of a pension. For these work has been found, and various other forms of relief given.” _ The speaker- went on to mention 2W cases of blindness in the Wellington district, all on the society’s files, as well, as the society’s work generally, including voluntary aid and instructional work. He concluded by congratulating those to whom awards were to be made, and thanked all those to whom the society was indebted.