CORSO

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23376, 6 December 1945, Page 6

CORSO

(Written for "The Timaru Herald”) (By Barbara Harper) A world war has been waged, fought and won. The amazing progress of medicine and surgery vied with the fantastic progress of science; the former saving thousands of lives; the latter destroying many more thousands, and ultimately, carrying victory in its destruction. The powers of destruction existing now would have been unbelievable two decades ago. We live in an age of “short cuts.” Machinery for industry, airships for travelling, adding machines and other devices for commerce, mechanical facilities for domestic use, all make life -work faster. And we resort to words, too, deriving one important word from the capitals of several. Uncio and Unrra have become household words. The object of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Association, the most gigantic organisation of its kind ever to be formed, is to relieve and rehabilitate distressed nations in the shortest possible time by the quickest possible mean; a hoped for “short cut’" to the re-establishment of health, happiness and employment. New Zealand is Included in Unrra; and in order to co-operate more fully with this organisation, a similar one has been formed in New Zealand which bears the name of Corso. Among the public there seems to be some confusion about this word, which is a derivation of Council of Organisations for Relief Service Overseas. It embodies 24 organisations which include Bov Scouts Association, British Medical 'Association, Friends Service Committee, Girl Guides Association. Girls’ Life Brigade, Government Representative Inter-church Council on Public Affairs, Joint Council of the Order of St. John and Red Cross Society, Ladv Galway Patriotic Guild, National Council of Churches, National Council of Women, National Missionary Council. National Patriotic Fund Board, Order of St. John, Red Cross Society, Registered Nurses Association. Student Christian Movement, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Womens Division of the Farmers’ Union. Women's Institute, Women’s War Service Auxiliary, Y.M.C-A., Y.W.C.A. and Zionist Council. As everv man, woman and school child probably belongs to one of these groups, Corso embodies every citizen whose dutv it is to help Corso, which assists Unrra: Unrra helps the stricken people of Asia and Europe to help themselves. Suggestions are put forward for the State to undertake. Whether these suggestions are practicable or not. application of individual enterprise was never more opportune. In a country where social benefits in some instances, have supplanted the functions of charitable institutes, an inclination towards apathy, as regards philanthropy, arises. So it behoves leaders of societies to promote enthusiasm bv promulgating schemes for which there are numerous channels. If each individual of this country whose famine, starvation and economic disorder are unknown, cannot assist at least one other individual in a country where these pitiable conditions are rasing, then what justifies tion have existence?