BRITISH RED CROSS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19032, 7 June 1924, Page 5

BRITISH RED CROSS.

NEW ZEALAND BRANCH. ANNUAL CONFERENCE. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 5. The annual conference of the Nev.Zealand Branch of the British Red Cross and Order of St. John was held to-day, Hon. Dr. Collins presiding. The balance-sheet showed a bank balance of £963, against £1358 last year. The conference decided that the bequest of Mrs. Alice Maud Smith, amounting to over £2OOO, be allocated equally between the four centres for peace-time work. The next annual meeting was fixed for Dunedin, in November, 1925. The following officers were elected:— Patrons, Lord and Lady Jellicoc; president, Sir Heaton Rhodes; vice-presi-dent, Sir James Gunson (Auckland), L. O. 11. Tripp (Wellington), T. A. Flesher (Canterbury), Rev. V. G. Bryan King (Otago); Dominion Council, Mrs. A. M. Ferguson, Miss T. E. Murray, Hon. George Fowl ds,- 11. D. Robertson, G. H. Fleming (Auckland), Lady Luke, Mesdames W. Nathan, H. R. Clarke; E. A. Birdling, Mr. J. Burnett (Wellington), Melidames 11. F. W’igram, H. 11. Smitt, C. J. Treleoven, Miss G. K. Guthrie, Mr. H. L. Bowker (Canterbury), Mesdames E. P. Lee, J. A. Hanan, Messrs. E. A, Rosevear, C. B. Smitt, A. F. Roberts (Otago): Executive, president and vicepresidents. Dr. Collins (chairman), Lady Luke, Mrs. Wigram, Messrs. Barnett, Roberts, Robertson, S. F. Wright; secretary, M. S. Galloway. The report stated that ex-service patients were held at various red cross homes as follows: —Auckland, 21; Wellington, 24; Christchurch, 24; Dunedin, 28; Total, 97. In addition, 401 were inmates of civil hospitals and santoriums. “In view of the unsettled state of things, and the possibility of hostilities, and Britain being drawn in, I do not think war organisation—for that is practically what we are working under —should be disturbed,” was a significant remark by Dr. Collins, when discussing a proposal to centralise, at the headquarters of the Wellington dis trict. The Association’s liquid funds, which amount to £103,331, viz., Wellington, £17,675; Auckland, £38,298; Christchurch, £18,879; Dunedin, £14,526; Invercargill, £7843; Timaru, £3O- - Ashburton, £1000; Nelson, £3OOO. The idea was that districts work oi interests based on the number of patients and last year’s expenditure, which would give—Auckland £3317, Wellington £2377, Christchurch £4313, Dunedin £2047. The general trend of the discussion was against centralisation, and to set up a committee to interview the War Funds Council and make a strong endeavour to get it to release funds intended for Red Cross peace work.