FREE TO ACT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 89, 13 July 1943, Page 5

FREE TO ACT

RED CROSS SOCIETY GENERAL PATRIOTIC APPEALS All centres and sub-centres of thi New Zealand Red Cross Society: have been advised by their president (the. Hon. Sir R. Heatoiu. Rhodes) and Chairman of the Dominion Executive (Mr C. G. White) that they arc free to assist in that all-purposes patriotic appeals., subject to it being made clcar by pub— ■ lie announcement that a proportion.. of the funds raised are •to go to the? Joint Council of tlic Order of. St. John and Red Cross Society for the sick and wounded and prisoners of war. The Joint Council of tlxc Order <>F St. John and Red Cross Society is& the expending agent of' the National Patriotic Fund Board for the benefit of sick and wounded and; prisoners of war. Earlier in the war the? Joint Council; conducted a separatee appeal. Since then the financial re;quireme.nts of the Joint Councili have been supplied by the National'. Patriotic Fund Board-, and the Red Cross Society, in common with tlic* Order of St. John and other we'l--4 ' ' fare organisations, has been askedl to .support the various, patriotic? councils in their all-purposes appeals. The view generally held irn the Red Cross Society, however, has been that, in the spirit ol' the Reck < Cross and its tradition, a national Red Cross. Society should refraini from any action which, might bet construed as implying that it was. taking part, even indirectly, In the* furtherance' of military; operations* f This appeared to be the practice*. adopted by the British Red Cross,, says the statement issued by Sir* Heaton Rliodes and Sir White. Oiu the other hand, one of file largestt societies'in the world, the . Red, Cross, was operating In , New* : Zealand and a great part of its work, was connected with the provision* of comforts and amenities for the* ' American fighting forces. In a communication received from the sident of the International Reck- ' Cross, the statement conti noes, the* op'iniori expressed was that, them was nothing to prevent a national " " society joining in an appeal for* funds with another institution, ifc. being understood that the yieldfc , should go in part to the Red Cross, and in part to funds dealing, forexample,, with the health and welfare of the fighting farces.

Willing Co-operation "liti these circuiisvstances," thee statement continues, "it is considered proper to make it as widelyknown as possible that the New Zealand Red Cross Society is now I'reerto act, and is ready and Avilling to co-operate with the various provin— cial patriotic councils throughout; the Dominion in the raising of funds by way of general appeal, provided that it is made clear iix public announcements that a pro- ' portion of these funds is to go to the Joint Council for the sick andt Mounded and prisoners of war," The .statement a'so refers to "thet widespread misapprehension that appears to exist in the minds of thet public that money given to the National Patriotic Fund Hoard is give it to the Government as the Board is • controlled by the Government." After pointing cut that the Board" :> is composed of men entirely free? 1 from Government control and that it is presided over by His Excellency the Governor-General, the statements adds: "The ready response to all— purposes appeals by generous donors may be materially affected by? ; erroneous and mischievous statements ol this nature, and Ave as f"af - T body .should, assist in every way* ~~ possible, in making the position cleatt / to the public."