RED CROSS CONVALESCENT HOME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17320, 21 May 1918, Page 6

RED CROSS CONVALESCENT HOME.

* CAMPAIGN FOR FUNDS. There was a fair attendance of Morning ton residents ,n St. Mary's Hall last cvon- • i?Fi /I. o dr , csses ln support of tho i V ™ f 0 f campaign for funds in L jjonteeillo Suld,ers Home at r „ Th ° chair occupied by Mr George Tenwick, who briefly referred to tho noble work winch the Red Cross Society here and elsewhere had performed ever since ; tho commencement of the war. There had come a time when our unfortunate soldiers were coming back to us, and it had become 1 necessary that some step should be taken | whereby tho wounded men should be prol vided for and tended as they ought to be during tho period of their convalescence. • Cross organieation, with ita i known enterprise, purchased a fine property hi the Mornington district which I was admirably adapted for the purpose for which it was purchased. The Red Cross , society was aiming at £10,000 for carryP r °ject through. It already had (applause),—and it was necessary that the whole of the people in tho city and suburbs should do their duty and carry this business through. He pointed out that something like 400 men had gone trom Mornington to take their part in tho Empire s cause, and therefore this present movement became one of pereonal interest to the people of tho district. The Government had agreed to subsidise pound for ( pound any necessary expenditure that ; night bo incurred in the direction of enlargements or alterations. He announced that. Mr S. Solomon, K.C., had 'telegraphed trom Hanmer that he was prepared to associate himself with the Mornington people m this movement, and that he would , gladly assist with a contribution. -the Rev. Vincent King said there were ' men with thousands a year who had given i a t ' on or war purposes, and men Wl nr„ . a year who had (riven £10, £20, ' f'l. ir yonng fellows on whose ■ ', . t " o y were appealing had given something for them which could neYer bo i »i!° i C j or . estimated in monetary value—> I they had given their limbs, sight, hearing, i or their general health. A great deal of money -was required. In addition to being ; nursed back to health, the men would bo ■ taught trades and be fitted for the battle > ot life. Apart from the matron, all tho i assistance at the institution would be volun- ' and women were vacating good posii tions to give their services free in the in- ; terests of the inen who had done so much i for the Empire. Even the housekeeper was a voluntary worker, and she wba the i wife of a solflier who had been away on activo service for three years.—(Applause.) . ihey would require inen to do voluntary I 111I 11 tllo grounds, and he was satisfied that the men at Mornington would band themselves together for tho purpose of domg whatever was necessary. He hoped Mornington would raise enough money for eight or nine cots, but he knew they would not want their name on each.—(Applause.) .They wanted the members of each family to make this job their job, and not to leave it to " father," with whom these matters were generally left. They had been promised liberal donations of produce for the institution from various parts of the country districte. —(Applause.) Mr C. E. Statliam, M.P., said his experience of the Red Cross Society waa that it was a most business-like society in all its dealings. The way in which Britain had failed to look after her soldiers at the con- ■ elusion of any war in which she had engaged had been a standing reproach. Thai ; day was now over, and she would, he thought, look after her soldiers better than ever she had done before. " And," said Mr Statham in conclusion, "wo will do that too."—(Applause.) The following committee was appointed work the Mornington district:—Mrs Nicholson, Misses Geerin, Rattray, Law, Messrs Hope, Law, Simon, M'Crorie, Thompson, Nicholson, and Sincock.