THE FRENCH RED CROSS

Southland Times, Issue 17665, 24 February 1916, Page 5

THE FRENCH RED CROSS

STREET COLLECTION ON SATURDAY.

On Saturday, under the auspices of the local Red Cross Society, a street coll action will be made on bebalf of the French Red Cross Society. The French Red Gross Society has strong claims upon British support, and in other parts of the Empire these claims have been, very generously recognised. British people have very cordially supported the French Red Cross not only because 'of the great work which it has done on behalf of the Allies but also because they were glad to have the opportunity of doing honour in this way to their great Ally. The French Bed Cross Society has. since the beginning of the war, ministered to the needs of wounded British soldiers in Belgium and Prance. While it has had to carry out ambulance work on a front of 350 miles, it has also maintained hundreds of hospitals in inland towns away from the fighting line, and has looked after a large number of refugees from Belgium and the northern part of France occupied by the enemy. We have constantly to remember that the enemy occupies and is exploiting the great manufacturing district of France, the district which has been compared to Manchester in England. The loss of this territory, of the outputs of the mines and factories, was a severe blow to France. Not only was there the actual loss of the use of great industrial plants and of raw material worth millions of pounds, bur the whole civilian population of the area had to be provided for. The British people can show their sympathy with their Ally by supporting French Red Cross Day, and this Empire movement will make a powerful appeal to the hearts of the French people from a purely sentimental point of view. Particularly will they appreciate gifts which come from far over the sea. This evidence of widespread sympathy will convince them that the whole Empire, even to its most distant outpost, is with France heart and hand in this great struggle. The arrangements made for the collection in Invercargill are quite modest in comparison with what has been done in other places. In Auckland, for instance, Tricolour Day is being held with, great ceremony. The Patriotic Committees are transforming the city into a semblance of Paris in days before the war. The Boy Scouts and bands are leading a huge procession, at the head of wffiich the French tricolour will be carried. At the Town Hall the Mayor will officially receive the flag, and a message will be despatched by the Prime Minister to the -French President. The French flag will subsequently be sold by auction in aid of the fund, the proprietors of the picture theatres are donating 50 per cent, of their takings to the fund and the movement has been taken up with such heartiness that a very successful collection is assured. In Invercargill the fund will be assisted by way of a street collection by the Red Cross Society and we venture to bespeak for the collectors a kindly reception from the public on Saturday. The object is one that deserves the most generous support that can be accorded: to it.