FULLY ORGANISED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 71, 21 September 1939, Page 8

FULLY ORGANISED

RED CROSS SOCIETY

ANXIOUS FOR WORK

GOVERMA/lEfyT LEAD AWAITED

.The attendance of Wellington Red Cross workers at the cmeeting held at the Dixon Street rooms yesterday afternoon to plan and organise aid in the present national crisis showed that there will, at any rate in the early stages of the war, be more enthusiastic helpers than there will be work for them to do. The work of the Red Cross Society can only be- for the | sick or wounded, and: the Government has Est yet given a lead as regards the probable movements of the New Zealand forces, so that the nature of the comforts that could be prepared and would be welcomed is at the moment to a certain extent unknown. All that the society is permitted to do at present is to supply comforts for men who may become sick in camp. This was made plain by the president, Lady Myers. This will not relieve the desire; of all to. be active, but it ,was evident from the steps'taken that when the time arrives there will be sound organisation, and that no permissible activity will be overlooked. Besides sick and wounded soldiers, said Lady Myers, there were nurses, who should not be forgotten in the dispatch of comforts. An "auxiliary or executive committee, to work from headquarters, where it would be given charge of all work given out to be made up, later to be. received as finished garments, and to be dispatched as required, by the authorities, must be set up. Each sub-centre should appoint it 3 own organiser. Finished articles would be credited to each sub-centre as brought in. It was hoped to supply material for garments shortly. In the meantime sub-centres might expend funds available on comforts, as in buying wool, etc. The women's committee of the Great War Funds Administrative Committee, which had been working for many years supplying comforts to all hosr pitals in the area where there were sick soldiers from the last war, and whose work was still very active, had offered their services in this emergency, and she suggested that they come on to the executive as an auxiliary unit to help wherever necessary. , When the last war broke out, continued Lady Myers, there was no Red Cross organisation, but now it was able to gather its people and feel ready for all emergencies. -This would entail sacrifices, but all were well prepared to make them. All members of committees should appoint a deputy to see to their work at times when they felt it essential to rest. VALUE OF eOMFQK/IS. Dr. A. Gillitfs, appreciating the value of having as'president one who had 25 years' experience of the work,, and had done so much for wounded and disabled soldiers since the Great War, said that they had Already many workers, some dating back to South African War days, but the experience of most of them "was confined to the home end. Only those who had seen the other end of activities realised what it meant to get comforts provided, perhaps by sqine old school mate. The most importanjp thing when working for the sick arid wounded, was that: nothing must be made that was not valuable. Enthusiasm was undoubted, but to help in the emergency, the work should be ihe best possible. For a .lead in this they would look to their exer cutive, but that, in turn, must look to' those guiding the destinies of the country, and it still awaited their lead. What could women do in the meantime? He suggested that they could best serve by getting ahead, where they could, in their spring household work, in order to have some time to spare when the required services were made known. They were not alone in their position. Men were being examined and trained in small numbers, and then sent back to carry on the work of the' country until , the time came for active service. Before the women could go on with their work it was necessary to know whether an expeditionary force was to be sent abroad. He was sure, that the people of New Zealand, men or women, would not be found wanting. The intense interest in the desire to get to work was shown by the attendance of delegates from the subcentres who had held their meetings, said the secretary, Captain M. S. Galloway. They had undertaken the job as a body, and were only waiting

for the Government to indicate what was required. A lady had got out a booklet outlining articles that could be knitted, for which he thanked her. Enthusiasm at meetings was remarkable. At. Flimmerton on a wet night 100 people attended, some coming 15 miles, and it was the same at Johnsonville and other places. As sub-centres could increase membership, there would be a very strong band of workers. "He had received cheques of £25 for the British Red Cross, and £12 10s for the Polish Red Cross. CENTRALISED CONTROL? During the last war the Red Cross had received £1,500,000 for comforts. The cost was 3d in the £1 to the soldier. Administration was so economical that 25 years afterwards it was still possible to pay out sums annually for comforts. He thought that the Government was likely to centralise control of the funds on this occasion in a Commission, on which /the Red Cross would be represented. The following executive to deal with the work during the crisis was electr cd:—-President, Lady: Myers; vicepresidents, Mrs. G. W. Guthrie, Mrs. F. W. Lewis; executive, Mesdames G. Lark, W. Dennistoun-Wood, G. W. Guthrie, G. Webb, L. H. Angus, and Miss S. Nathan, M.8.E., with power to add on all committees. Sub-committees appointed were:-rr Buying: Lady Myers, Miss Low, lyirs. G. Lark, and Mrs. E. Downes. Cuttingr out: Mrs. Henry Hall and Miss Maeinr tosh. Distribution: Miss R. BlcGregor and Mrs. V.| R, Gunn. Receiving and accounting for garments: Mesdames Guthrie and Wilson Downes. Packing: Mrs. DennistounrWood and Miss B. Taylor. Bandages: Mrs. Lark and ladies' auxiliary. Canteen: Mrs. E. G. Downes and Ladies' Social Club (subject to approyal). Hospital visiting and comforts: Mesdames Webb and King. Honorary secretary: Miss Elsmie Ward.