GERALDINE RED CROSS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22934, 3 July 1944, Page 3

GERALDINE RED CROSS

Geraldine-T emuka Centre Resignation Of Mrs Tripp As Chairman The resignation of Mrs J. M. H. Tripp as chairman of the Geraldine County Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society was accepted with regret at a meeting of the executive. Mrs Tripp, who is also a member of the Dominion Council and of the Canterbury Committee of the Joint Council of St. John and the Red Cross, will leave in the near future for England, where she will undertake Red Cross work for the New Zealand Society. It was agreed to place on record the Centre's warm appreciation of Mrs Tripp s fine record of service as chairman of the Geraldine Centre since it was organised before the war began. Mrs Macdonald said that Mrs Tripp's leadership had been an inspiration and had placed the Geraldine-Temuka Centre on a plane of higher importance than in normal circumstances. Mrs Tripp had worked untiringly for the Society.

Dr. F. A. Scannell (Temuka) was appointed chairman and Canon A. H. Norris (Geraldine), deputy chairman. An emergency committee comprising Dr. Scannell, Canon Norris, Mrs R. H. Orbell, the Rev. E. R. E. Ross and Mr D. C. McKechnie was appointed. Dr. Scannell and Mrs Macdonald were appointed delegates to the Dominion Conference in Wellington, and Canon Norris was appointed to represent the Centre on the Joint Council Committee in Christchurch. It was agreed to ask Mrs Tripp to attend the quarterly conference of sub-centres in Geraldine on July 21. A letter was received from Miss Crooke, Director-General, New Zealand Red Cross V.A.’s conveying congratulations on the splendid record of work which appeared to be maintained and even increased in all sub-centres. It gave her great confidence for the future work of the Red Cross in peacetime, she said, to read the determination expressed at so many of the annual meetings that the Red Cross work must go on. Relief for Allied Nations A decision to ask Dominion Headquarters to take steps so that New Zealand can play its part in providing clothing for relief of distress in Allied countries, and that it be asked to investigate the purchase of materials on a wholesale basis for making into garments, was made. A remit from Woodbury suggested that sufficient money should be retained by sub-centres to buy material to be worked into clothing for destitute children overseas. Canon Norris said that the existing rule by which moneys are paid into the Centre should be continued. The Centre acted as banker for money raised, but the sub-centre could specify for what purpose the money was raised. Dr. Scannell: No reasonable request has yet been refused. Mr McKechnie said that was desirable if the best were to be done for the distressed peoples that it should be done by the Red Cross. If each little group acted on its own the work would lack direction, and there would be a lot of wasted effort. He suggested they should seek a direction from Headquarters. It was agreed to ask Headquarters about purchasing materials on a wholesale basis, and to advise Woodbury that money collected was to be paid into the Centre, but that it had the right to draw it out for approved purposes. In reply to a question by Mrs R. W. L. Beattie, the chairman said that certain cotton and flannel articles prepared for refugees in England were being sold, but all woollen articles had been shipped to England. England did not require the cotton and flannel articles, but the proceeds from the sale of these would be devoted to work for refugees. It was agreed not to sell articles until it was found when the Dominion relief ship to Greece would sail and what would be required for it. Canon Norris made reference to the recent appeal for the relief of Allied Nations. This had been given insufficient publicity, and could have been more appropriately made through the Red Cross and the churches. It was agreed to take up the question of future appeals with Headquarters. Fares Reduced Advice that bus fares for servicemen and servicewomen between Geraldine and Orari will be reduced from 2/6 to 1/6 return has been received by the secretary of the Geraldine R.S.A. (Mr A. J. Kennedy) from the District Officer of the Transport Department, Christchurch. Representations were made some time ago by the Geraldine R.S.A. Next-of-Kin Party A successful next-of-kin party was held by the Women's Section of the Geraldine R.S.A. The president (Mrs J. M. Little) welcomed the guests, who numbered more than 100. Mrs Hugh Brosnahan played and Mrs Alec Vincent was heard in a bracket of songs. A popular feature of the afternoon was a roll-call of the various units serving overseas. Personal Mr and Mrs H. C. Barton and Miss E. Barton, formerly of Carew, have taken up residence in Raukapuka. Mr J. Acland, M.P., left of Saturday for Wellington. Mr F. W. Grayburn, president of the Geraldine R.S.A., who has been attending the annual conference in Wellington, is expected to return home to-day. Aircraftman R. Waller has returned to Geraldine on sick leave from the Pacific. Basketball The Geraldine and District Basketball Association’s competitions were continued on Saturday. Games resulted:—Orari Bridge 21 beat Woodbury 5; Orari 27 beat United (2) 2; High School 13 beat United (1) 8.