College And School Members Of Red Cross Hear Director’s Address

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 July 1949, Page 9

College And School Members Of Red Cross Hear Director’s Address

Junior Red Cross members from colleges and schools assembled in the Red Cross Rooms yesterday afternoon to listen to a talk given by Miss Pamela Paterson, N.Z. Director of the Junior Red Cross. Miss Paterson served with the W.R.E.N.S. during the war and is a trained V.A.

Introduced by Mr. R. L. Garden, secretary of the Wanganui Red Cross Centre, Miss Paterson thanked all very much for coming along and expressed her pelasure at seeing so many junior members. She also thanked them for their letters of welcome received when sh e was appointed to the position several montns ago. When appointed she found she had acquired a family of over 30,000. Miss Paterson praised th e members for their magnificent work they had done for the displaced children who arrived in New Zealand recently. Oi those without parents was a small boy from Austria, whose foster parents could not protect him because of a law disallowing the adoption of a child, so he had to come to New Zealand. A 7-year-old girl found wandering in a ruined city, was minus several fingers. All she could remember was a terrible bombardment. There were a number of children who could not tell their story because they could not remember who their people were. Miss Paterson gave an account of the gathering in the hall at the camp when the parcels contributed by the juniors were given to the children. She said when they entered the hall it was several Christmases all rolled into one. She spoke to the children and welcomed them on benali of the Junior Red Cross. Her brief talk was interpreted by a person from Poland and then by a German. It took one and a-half nours to hand out the parcels, each having the name oi the recipient. All were thrilled to be called out to receive them and very pleased to know the things were tneir own. All the children were very well behaved. Afterwards they sang “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean' which they had learned on the ship. Miss Paterson said th e little girl in Wanganui who had sent the scooter would be pleased to see how much it was used oy the children. It caused great excitement throughout the camp. They took great care of the toys.

m giving a description of the camp which the speaker said was like heaven to those occupying it, she said ; a source oi constant pleasure is the! gate which is always open. It was a symbol to them of New Zealand’s kindness. Several children had expressed their joy for the gifts, and Miss Paterson read a letter from a girl in the camp thanking the members and telling of the joy of the children. These children look up to the Red Cross and often say witnout it they would be dead today. They know the New Zealand children are glad to have them and they know they are wanted. Soon these children are going out to schools and into a world that is strange. Miss Paterson said she wanted all members to do their best and make these children feel at home and stressed that by working together they could do the most good. “We look to the Junior Red Cross to neip to make a better world; to help these children, go hand in hand and .piake it a peaceiui world. That is th e goal they should have in view" said tne speaker in conclusion. The junior members asked several questions and in answer to one concerning the clothing wanted, Miss Paterson explained that strong shoes, slippers to wear indoors, warm grey flannel shirts, shorts, warm underclothing, coats, in fact anything in the way of warm clothing, as few had clothes to change, and added that she would like them to send parcels for Christmas. Thes e children do not understand a Christmas without snow, she said. Mr. I. W. Davey, Centre Commandant of the Men’s Detachment of the Red Cross in Wanganui, represented that section at the meeting.