RED CROSS OFFICER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21633, 9 February 1945, Page 2

RED CROSS OFFICER

MR. C. MEACHEN’S POST FURTHER INFORMATION tP.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 9. ■ Commenting on the appointment of Mr. C. Meachen as Red Cross Commissioner, Mr. C. G. White, chairman of the Dominion Executive, detailed the circumstances leading up to it. lie states that he was unable to he present at the meeting of the War Purposes Committee on December 13, 1944. at which it was recommended inotwithstanding the decision of the Joint Council in October, 1944, to take no action until the return of Major Tweedy to the Dominion), that it be left to Sir James Elliott and Mr. J. T. Spears "to consider and if need be. arrange for an appointment to he made."

'I understand that very shortly after that meeting discussions took place and Mr. Meachen was appointed on about December 22," said Mr. White.

"1 was in Wellington until December 26 but was not consulted 1 in any way and the first I knew about the appointment was the announcement in the press.

“As to the personal suitability of Mr. Meachen for the position 1 have no criticism to offer. He is a capable. energetic young man who has been associated with the St. John and other humanitarian organisations for some years and whenever he has worked with our society in joint endeavours he has been most friendly and helpl'uj. The . fact that he has 'been kept in New Zealand under appeal was not known to me, nor, I think to Mr. Spears. There was a resolution on the books of the Joint Council that any -position under it should, where possible, be filled by a returned soldier from the present or the Great War. There were suitable applicants who complied with this requirement.

"It has been stated that the appointment could be justified because of its urgency, but there is an emergency committee of the Joint Council ar-i my personal opinion, for what it is worth, is that, if the appointment had been submitted to that body or the Joint Council as a whole, with the knowledge that Mr. Meachen was not a returned soldier and was retained in the Dominion in what was elainred to be an essential occupation, his application would- have been declined. However. Mr. Meachen has been appointed and is now well on his way. It remains for both organisations to wish him lion voyage and give him full support in every way possible.”