RED CROSS SOCIETY

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1928, Page 10

RED CROSS SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING HELD OPERATIONS OF PAST YEAR. HELI' TO RELIEVE DISTRESS. The annual meeting of the North Taranaki Branch of the Red Cross Society was held at New Plymouth last night,, the Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths) presiding over a good attendance. ‘■l must confess that hitherto I have had little opportunity of being an active worker in the Red Cross movement,” said Mr. Griffiths. He was very pleased that so early in his term of office as Mayor he had been able to associate with them, and if possible he would take an active part in the movement. Wherever civilisation was to be found, there would be found also the Red Cross sign—an emblem of service, respected from one end of the land to the other. He was impressed by their motto, ‘‘Serve one another.” if they lived up to it, they had one of the keynotes of life, because serving others was one of the greatest pleasures of life. In order to make the financial year coincide with that of headquarters, stated the annual report, the “year” had been of only nine months. During the year, the society had carried on all its activities, and m addition had worked for the last three months in conjunction with the Health Department. As usual classes in home nursing were held during 1927, with a total membership of 68, comprising 43 senior members and 25 junior members from the Girls’ High School. First aid classes were also held with 32 members in the senior class and 29 members in the junior? Drs. B. Wilson and G. H. Thomson were the lecturers In first aid. Examiners in home nursing were Dr. D. E. Brown, Sister Gill, Mrs. A. E. Thompson and Mrs. L. M. Craig. Drs. T. Milroy and G. Rich were the examiners in first aid. Of the 129 members of the home nursing and first aid classes, 80 sat for and passed examinations, five candidates gained their medallions, and one gained a bar to the medallion. The Junior Red Cross circle movement was now spreading most satisfactorily, both the Education Department and the school teachers realising its benefits in the school life of the children. The cultivation of the spirit of service is the main ideal of the Junior Red Crass, while the teaching of the rules of health, and the carrying out of the same, also took an important part in the programme of work. WORK AMONGST CHILDREN. As an instance of what could be done by the children, it was mentioned that the members of the Westown circle, by their own effort, raised £2O, most ot which was handed in for the purpose of buying comforts for the Old People’s Home, patients in hospital, relief of distressed families, etc. At the beginning of last winter, when clothing was urgently needed for relief work, the Vogeltown school children supplied some hundreds of garments and a large number of vegetables, eggs, etc., which were of great assistance to many families. Early last year a beautiful banner was forwarded to the New Zealand Red Cross juniors by the members of the British Junior Red Cross, as a token of friendship. This banner had been shown to all the junior circles in Taranaki, and was much appreciated by them. Junior headquarters was very busy preparing a return presentation, which would probably take the form of a Waka Huia, a carved Maori box containing the feathers of the huia bird. Public lectures on health subjects were given during the winter months by the following members of the medical profession: Drs. G. H. Thomson, P. C. Davie, G. P. Adamson, H. B. Leatham, and R. J. R. Mecredy. These lectures proved most interesting and instructive, and were well attended. Soldiers in hospital had been supplied with cigarettes and tobacco, and at Christmas time each man received a parcel. Thanks were due to the matron for attending to the distributing of those gifts. In May a sale of work for the Auckland Institute for the Blind was conducted. Most of tiie relief work last year was carried out by Mrs. Parry, who gave up nearly all her time for this purpose. This work was a great deal heavier than usual, and there was a constant demand for clothing, food, vegetables, medicine, etc. Owing to the generosity of many of the townspeople and of country friends as well, a great deal of distress was alleviated. Members of the Women’s Club formed a Red Cross circle early in the winter, and much useful work in the way of sewing and mending was done. On December 18, in conjunction with the relief association and Girl Citizens, a large Christmas, party was given to the children of distressed families, when about 150 children were entertained. The thanks of the society were due tc all those who so generously donated money, clothes and food for relief work, to all helpers on the street day collection and sale for the Blind Institute, to members of the medical profession who acted as lecturers and examiners, to the lion, auditor (Mr. A. Patrick), to Mrs. Parry and Sister Corkill. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £47 18s and a reserve account of £3l f.s. On the motion of the president (Mrs. A. Patrick) the report and bal-ance-sheet were adopted. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: —Patron, the Mayor (Mr. 11. V. S. Griffiths); president, Mr. H. C. Morgan; vice-presidents, Mesdames Alexander and A. X’atrick and Dr. R. J. R. Mecredy; lion, auditor, Mr. A. Patrick; lion, secretary and treasurer, Miss Gibson; committee, the ministers of the various churches, FieldMajor Wyatt, Mesdames Newman, T Wilson, Parry, T. M. Avery and H. V. S. Griffiths, Miss Cant and Mr. A. B. Gibson; representatives on North Taranaki Council, Mrs. A. Patrick, Mr. Gibson and Dr. Mecredy. Votes of thanks were passed to the chair, the retiring president and treasurer, Mrs. Parry, and to Sister Corkill for her work. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES. Certificates and medallions were then presented by the Mayoress as follow: SENIOR HOME NURSING. Advanced (bar to medallion). —Mrs Elsie Veale. Medallion.—Miss Emily Cant, Mrs. Jean Gable, Mrs. Maud Jillett, Miss Olive Simmons, Miss Mary Horlor. Intermediate. —Miss Mary Arthur,

Mrs. Elizabeth Chapman, Mrs. Mabel Corney, Mrs. Margaret Huggett, Mrs. Rose Simmons, Mrs. Claudia West, Miss Hannah Callopy, Miss Alice Hayward. Mrs. Katherine Clare. Elementary.—Mrs. Elsie Allen. Miss Gwen Gillespie, Miss Evelyn Hingley, Miss Peggy Hayton, Mrs. Florence. Rennie, Mrs.'’.Annie Simons, Mrs. Jeannie Smith, Mis? Milly Walls, Miss Elsie Webby. ' SENIOR FIRST AID. Intermediate—Miss Mavis _ Collins, Miss Alice Hayward, Mrs. Elsie Veale, Mrs. Maud Jillett. Elementary.—Miss Dulcie Abraham, Mr. Gordon'Bayly, Mr. Theo. Bailey, Mrs. Elizabeth Chapman, Miss Hannah Callopy, Mrs. Mabel Corney, Mr. Harry George, Miss Hazel Gilbertson, Miss Mildred Griffen, Miss Phyllis Haylock, Miss Peggy Hayton, Miss Aileen Horner, Miss Vene Million, Miss Doris Richardson, Mr. Arthur Sampson, Miss Thelma Stone, Miss Molly Sturm. Twenty-two members had already received their certificate!