RED CROSS SOCIETY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 56, 3 February 1934, Page 2

RED CROSS SOCIETY.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I note with interest the letter of B. C. Pratt under the heading of “Urgent Relief,” and whilst recognising and agreeing with him that “Charity begins at home,” I regret we cannot agree to the suggestion that our obligations as far as assisting our fellow men begins and ends within the boundaries of New Zealand. During the unfortunate earthquake disaster at Hawke’s Bay the New Zealand Red Cross Society received approximately £4OOO from the under mentioned National Red Cross Societies : —American Red Cross, £1108; Australian Red Cross, £500; British Red Cross, £1000; Chile Red Cross, £SO; Scottish branch of British Red Cross Society, £500; Latvia, Netherlands, Spain and Turkey Red Cross Societies, £248 11s sd; Norwegian, Greek, Yugoslav Red Cross Societies, £77 Is 6d; Indian Red Cross, £100; Siamese Red Cross, 37s lOd; Egyptian Red Cross, £27 16s; Japanese Red Cross, £63 9s 6d; Persian Red Cross, £44 9s 7d; French Red Cross Society, £174 18s 8d; Albanian Red Cross, £8 13s 6d; Ecuador Red Cross, £2 3s 4d; Uruguayan Red Cross, £3 9s 4d; a total of £3946 2s lOd.

The people of Hawke’s Bay were very grateful for these wonderful contributions and they undoubtedly assisted in perhaps saving the lives and improving the future health of many of the Hawke’s Bay sufferers. Apart from the common courtesy of reciprocating, surely if we can do so it is to New Zealand’s advantage to do all possible for fellow sufferers in other parts of the world. It is interesting to note that in the donations towards the Hawke’s Bay earthquake that the Turkish Red Cross forwarded quite a reasonable amount. Considering that this had come from a country who only some years previously we had been actually fighting against, it would not be right for New Zealand to be behind in holding out the hand of fellowship. Under the -circumstances we feel sure that your correspondent and readers will recognise that we have a duty to perform.—Yours faithfully, J. ABEL, Chairman, N.Z. Red Cross Society. AVellington, February 1. 1934.