PEACE-TIME WORK

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 13

PEACE-TIME WORK

RED CROSS EXECUTIVE MEETS

PROPOSAL FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIEF.

The monthly meeting of the Welling,ton Centre (Peace-lime Branch) Executive of the British Red Cross was held yesterday afternoon. Mr. F. Goldberg presided, and there were also present IVlesdames • Reid, Chapman, Murphy, Clarke, ■ Wilson, and Geddis, Miss ,S. Nathan, ■ Sister J. Lewis, and Messrs. . t. Castle, Galloway (secretary), Colonel Mabin, and Dr. E. M. L. -Morgan' (Director). Apologies were received from' Dr. W. E. Collins, Mr. Barcham, and Councillor C. Chapman. _ Dr. Morgan, in a report on the position of the British Empire Cancer Re-" search Campaign, stated that the date of the beginning of the campaign was uncertain. "■ Consideration was being given to the: possibility of the; Red Cross undertaking a campaign in connection ( with the. collection of funds' for the Spahlinger tuberculosis treatment', and: to question1 whether, af the. society undertakes the latter work,-it'should precede the collection of funds for cancer research. The report also stated that the response to appeals for contributions for relief to German children had so far been very small. '.. ' . i .

The monthly report of /the Director showed that students receiving class, infitruction under his supervision numbered 411 adults and 146 children.'. Children' of. five, schools were being given health ;instruction, and some Government teachers were giving information' on hygiene, on Junior Red' Cross lines. A statement of the scope of the society Had been prepared' and placed in the bands of each member of the committee. A. report on the work done in the Taranaki district was received from Sister Webster,'in wflich it was stated that class instruction had been-given in various towns, and help in other ways had been/forthcoming. Assistance had been given-to Mr; R. Smith, who Was touriina the Dominion in the interests of St. Dunstan's blinded soldiers.

. -The .-treasurer's -statement, was received and approved. ■. /.. .

The resignation of Lady Luke from the committee was received with regret,' and it was decided unanimously to elect her a life-member of the society. Mr. F. Goldberg was welcomed-to the•position of chairman,, which he will-hold permanently, in view.of the recent death of Mr.-./T.'-A.- Munt," chairman■ of the executive. Mr. Goldberg was formerly appointed temporarily during : Mr. •Munt's'-.absence.. .' ... '.'■.'.' .".'< ,-.. ■ . Through.the/.kindness .of. the. Magnus Motor Company in supplying cars,-mem-bers of the society, were, able recently to take ex-soldier patients at - Porirua -for a 'to -Titahi Bay,' which was 4 highly successful. An'earnest' appeal is made to the public to forward disused books pf any :kindl' to-the.'.Bed , Cross.. Society,. ZDixpn..street,.■.for.' distnbutiou. to such patients.-:-! ;...'-'_y ;^>': ■„.." •'■'.•.•■/■"•',.•'' ;. . ■ An interesting scheme for the /amelioration of suffering always consequent'upon a calamity such as the recent Japanese earthquake disaster was read, in. which the' originator,. Senor Ciraolo, "presidentof -,the Italian Red Cross, proposed that each nation should, set. apart 10 per cent, of its present contribution to the League of Nations, as a fund for immediate relief. Such a fund, it was pointed out^ would-i-be. a -means of drawing the-.iia-> tions together in the idea of the League of Nations, since any country which .was not willing to contribute 'would;, in the event of a disaster,1 be'badly btf'without assistance from outside. The '■: money ' would go i^ito a consolidated, fund /in. Europe,, to be called the International Institution. Then, it would .be avail-, able for relieving, distress, and would be controlled and administered'through the Red Cross Society by the Governments concerned with the" calamity. The Governments were automatically subscribers to the League'of Nations, but 'the difficulty would be to set apart the money for .the project. However, the whole master would probably be thrashed out at the Red Cross Conference in Paris un 28th-April next. It is.proposed. to place the matter before., tbe Minister of In-, ternal Affairs for liis information.