RED CROSS OFFICER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21634, 10 February 1945, Page 2

RED CROSS OFFICER

In the words of the immortal Alice of Wonderland fame, the case of the newly-appointed Red Cross commissioner for the Middle East grows “curiouser ancl curiouser.” Pending the release of an official statement next week, as promised by Sir James Elliot, chairman of the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Pied Cross Society, comment must necessarily be restrained, but one or two points have cropped up again which call for immediate attention. Mr. C. G. White, a member of the Emergency Committee of the Joint Council, states that there is a resolution on the books of the Joint Council to the effect that any position should, where possible, be filled by a returned soldier from the present or the Great War, adding that there were suitable applicants who complied with this requirement. Probably it was knowledge of the existence of this resolution which presented the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association with telling fire-power for conducting its campaign of criticism against the appointment of Mr. C. Meachen, an ex-serviceman of neither war. Whether or not the R.S.A. was aware of the resolution is, however, immaterial. * Obviously the position was one which, in any case, should rightfully have gone to an ex-service-man than whom there would be no one better fitted for mixing among soldiers on active service and arriving at an understanding of their needs and problems. In other respects, not so fundamentally important, Mr. Meachen’s claims are unchallenged. A further point to be considered involves "the question as to whether such an appointment was really necessary at all. Colonel A. S. Muir, whose views have been warmly supported by Mr. W. J. Kealy, of Auckland, formerly accountant for Colonel F. Waite when he was overseas commissioner for the New Zealand patriotic funds, has made out a strong case ‘for acknowledgment of Die post as being redundant, the work for the Dominion’s one division having been competently carried out for nearly two years by the National Patriotic Fund Board’s commissioner, acting as representative for the New Zealand Red' Cross in the field. In the opinion of most people, the work which Mr. Meachen has been despatched overseas to undertake has been proved to be not essential. That being so. why has a man. for some time retained in the Dominion in what was retained in the Dominion in what was claimed to be an essential occupation, now has boon sent abroad on duty as service with the armed forces? that will be deemed not so essential as services with the armed forces? Mr. White says that, now the appointment has been made, Mr. Meachen should be wished, “Bon voyage.” On Die contrary, it will be widely felt Dint it is not too late to recall Mr. Meachen before more public money is spent on an unnecessary mission.