RED CROSS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24630, 11 June 1941, Page 7

RED CROSS

) SUB-CENTRE MEETING WAR-TIME ACTIVITIES The annual meeting of the Dunedin Subcentre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society was held last night, the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) presiding. There was a large attendance of members. Following the meeting, addresses were given by Dr J. Leslie -Will, Dominion chairman of the society, and Miss E.- Tennent. director of V.A's for New Zealand. Valuable Activities ■'-.';' The adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, which set out fully the activities of the branch during the year, was moved by the chairman, who congratulated the : branch on its excellent work. He commended its valuable activities to" citizens and said that as long as the society continued to do the work in which it specialised it] would not need to fear lack of financial help. Mr Allen referred to the fact that 175 V.A.'s had completed their, 60 hours' hospital training and paid a tribute to them for the manner,in which they gave up their time so that they might make themselves fit and ready for any emergency. i The Emergency Precautions organisation was being trained to aid those who might be injured during_ a raid—a possibility that had to be seriously considered —and if the V.A.'s felt that, their work during try-outs did not count ; ; tor. much, he would point out that the information gaihed by the whole organisation was valuable.. < ■.'".',' ',-■% ■ ■'■. , iC «_.,„_„ "So far," Mr Alien said, "the Government has given no Indication that a convalescent home-will be built in Dunedin, and as with other' things it appears that we will only.get oneat the ttoint of the bayonet. I hope, however, that we will get our share of homes here so that the kindly people of the city will be able to have the opportunity of looking. after some of our boys. I offered LitUebourne House to the Government for ajftome, but the offer was turned down/' .The. Mayor concluded by commending the Work of the society in regard to prisoners of war. ;.- // v . Appreciation of HelpThe motion was seconded by xthe_chairman of the branch executive. Mr Charles V.'Smith, who- said 'that at /Present the society's activities were limited, but in the future, when wounded began to return, there would be considerably more to do. He was confident that if the occasion arose the V.A's would meet the crisis in .a, steady manner. ■■■ The speaker pawl a tribute to all those who had worked for the society in Its many branches. The report was; adopted.. .> •• Election of'Office-bearers: The * following office-bearers were elected:—President the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen); vice-president, Miss Belle McLean; executive committee—Misses C. Graham, B '" Farcuhar W. ; Johnstone,. M. Jeffery, M;-Young; E.L. Wilkin, T. Paihe, J, Harrison; O. C. Nees. T. Packer, D: Ramsay. Mesdames Walter- Ross, Bruce Smith. R. Dawson;'. J:. L . Anderson; Messrs;, J. W; Smeaton, G. L. Ferguson, A. N. Haggitt, J. .R; Laidlaw, Dr T. McKlbbin; honorary treasurer. Mr E. J VS. Johnston; honorary auditor. Mr ' W. H.McLeod Red Cross Organisation /'/■ Dr Will referred to several .aspects <Jf the organisation of the society, and said that" had -it been fully alive during Jhe years which followed the Great War, many.other bodies Would never have had to come into being Members might be interested to- know, that the society was originally supposed to deal with matters relating to crippled children, hydatids, and the prevention of tuberculosis, and he hoped that after the war, which occur pied most of their energies at the present time, the society would continue its activities in other Important avenues. Dr Will made particular reference to the society's 1 activities in regard to prisoners of war, and said that each centre should have an office, under the central bureau in Wellington, where people who had relatives ias prisoners might receive information. arid sympathy from ■: persons fully acquainted with the" position The International Red Cross was doing a wonderful work;.and many letters were being received through it from men ih Germany thanking ■ relatives and friends for 'parcels and communications, ■_. • V ,-"'•' Voluntary Aid Work/ '.;.

' Miss Tennent said that although the war effort came first, there were great opportunities for V.A.'s to practice horne. nursing "and hygiene' in "homes and raise the general standard of the health of, the Deople She referred to the depletion of the nursing staffs in New Zealand through the sending of 300 ; nurses overseas, and said that the V.A.'s'had. now the opportunity of -preparing'• .themselves for .war service c Jn the hosriltals. • Miss Tennent dealt fullv with many aspects of V.A. work in the Dominion.