FAR EAST RELIEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23048, 27 May 1938, Page 13

FAR EAST RELIEF

NEED OF ASSISTANCE "APPALLING SUFFERING" TOO MORE DOCTORS TO GO [BY TELEGRAPH —PRF.SB association] WELLINGTON, Thursday A cheque from the Mayor of Dunedin for £351, received by the joint council of the Order of St. John and the Now Zealand Red Cross Society, brings the total of the Far East relief fund appeal in New Zealand to £8530.

A letter received by the joint council from Dr. James Maxwell as a result of advice that £2OOO is being despatched to China, refers to the amount of suffering as being simply appalling, even more so within the occupied xone than it was in the actual fighting line. They are more thaij grateful, he added, for such gifts as were promised. A cablegram received recently from Dr. R. B. Grey, of Hankow, asked for the services of two further doctors, and the medical committee has selected Drs. G. H. Maaka and A. T. Watson, both of the Napier Hospital staff. They will leave by the Awatea on June 24, and arrive at Hongkong on July 23. There is every likelihood of their joining Drs. Grey and Tremewan in the Honan province. Central China. A further report from Dr. Grey bv air mail from Loyang, dated April 28, showed that there were heavy demands on medical services. All surgical work was carried out in the mission hospitals, subsidised by the International Red Cross Committee at Hankow. Dr. Grey referred to the wonderful manner in which the different denominations had worked together, Catholics and Protestants being in perfect harmony. Speaking of operations, he said it was all very uphill work, as cases were of some days' duration and very septic. He mentioned also that a war orphans' camp was being established in the Catholic mission at Loyang, and it was expected that it would contain about 000 children ranging in age from a year to 13 or 14 years of age. There would be a considerable amount of medical and public health work attached to the camp, and Dr. Grey said lie would do it. About 2000 children were expected to be in camp at various cities along the railway route.