RED CROSS WORK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 19 August 1916, Page 5

RED CROSS WORK.

AN INTERESTING LETTER,

The following interesting letter has been received from the Earl of Rahfurly, Director of the Ambulance Department, St. John's Gate, London: "I do wish 1~ could acknowledge to each and every one personally the very great assistance received from all over New Zealand and from every other part of the British Empire, where our St. John Ambulance Brigade and Association has its branches. It is most encouraging and an inspiration to me now that all my time is devoted to tTie work. There are few who can really conceive how larg© a .business pur organisation deals w;ith. When we consider what is being don© by our Order in Africa, Mesopotamia, Egpt, Salonika, Italy, and to some extent Russia, in addition to our own hospitals at Home and in France, it must be a source of gratification to all who are so cheerfully helping us in pur great work. Our Motor Boat Department, which supplies ambulances on the Tigris and in many other places, has grown into very considerable proportions. Then there is our Prisoners of "War Fund and Transport of Wounded Fund, all absorbing thousands of pounds. I might mention that although we may require many more motor ambulances, the cost of maintaining what we have is enormous, roughly speaking £250,000 per annum, and of course our General Fund must be called upon every time the special funds are not being sufficiently supported. • The General Fund has, as its heaviest charge upon it, the Stores Department, which sends out stores to all, hospitals connected with the war. "I may add that no request from the New Zealand Hospital at Walton-on-Thames has ever to rtiy knowledge been refused. In fact, Mr Dalton, the secretary, has thanked lis for very liberal manner all his requests had been acceded to, and they have not been by any manner of means small, and to his credit he has h;;l been shy in asking, "Help comes to us from very varied sources, but it matters not how it comes;, if earmarked for a specific purpose, it certainly goes that way; if the donation is left open it is used in such manner as to leave no doubt > as to the highest approvals of the donors, and let me assure all that no business or organisation that ha s ever existed could boast of such efficient and economical administration.

"Once again thanking all coworkers throughout the Dominion where several of my happiest years were spent.—¥our s sincerely. (Signed) RANFURLY."