PARADE AT EDGECUMBE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 3, 31 August 1943, Page 3

PARADE AT EDGECUMBE

LOCAL VOLUNTARY AIDS

MISS I. CROCKE'S VISS|T

Miss* I. Crcoke, . Director-General of the N.Z. Red. Cross Voluntary Aids, attended a meeting at Edgecumbe on August 19, arranged by the Edgecumbe Branch of the, Red Cross. There Avas not so large an attendance as had been hoped for, as the Matata,, Te Teko and Awakeri branches which were to> have combined with Edgecumbe for the meeting Avere unable to send representatives.

Mrs Roberts, President, of the Edgecumbe branch, welcomed Miss Crooke, and. Mrs Sullivan, President of the Eastern Bay of ' Plenty Centre. Mrs Sullivan briefly expressed pleasure at Miss Crooke'? visit and asked her to address' the 1 meeting. Miss Crooke thanked members for the Ave'lcome extended to her. She appreciated meeting members in their own surroundings, also it was useful for branches, to* have contact with some one from H.Q. We were inclined to think in terms of our OAvn problems, whereas Ave should always remember that we are not only a national, but an international organisation. Her job was primarily the V.A.D.s but we should all be interested in all parts of Red Cross work. V.A. Training i.e. Home Nursing,, First Aid. Hygiene' and Sanitation were useful, not only in wartime or in emergency, but in our own homes. Miss Crooke would like to see the three subjects compulsory in schools. The whole theme of Red Cross work was the prevention of disease rather than the cure. In view of conditions in New Zealand, plenty of good food, good climate and no overcrowding the general health of the community is very disappointing. In fact according to the latest figures the New Zealand soldier has the lowest disease resistance of any soldier in the present war. Miss Crooke emphasised that the Junior Red Cross is one of the. most important parts of Red Cross work, that of getting the child in school and teaching it the rules of healthy ■living. After the war Red Cross work must go on, that was the mistake made after the last Avar—that the work lapsed. For example, during the post Avar epidemics, and (he Napier earthquake many lives would have been saved had the trained Voluntary Aids been available.. Many people died 0 so'le'y through lack of the necessary care.

In addition to the possibility of post-war epidemic there would also be the returned men many of whom would need treatment. lit is therefore important to keep up the V.A. training. After the war, said Miss Crooke, the trend of medicine in New Zealand, must be preventiver Hospitals are now "stiff with people"' and many more are on t{h.e waiting lists. Possibly the clinic system would be adopted. This works well in Russia and America. This enables everyone to have an overhaul every six months, and disease would be checked, before it became dangerous. In China the doctors were paid on results, while their patient, remained well they were paid, when he was ill they received no fee till' he recovered.

Miss Crooke went on to say that New Zealanders had not suffered from the war except personally, and she felt that we owed a debt to the nations that have been bombed,. invaded and occupied. She said there were five ways in which we could help in post-war reconstruction. They were:—

(1) Sending clothing overseas; at every Red Cross branch she had visited she had seen large stores of beautiful clothing. She suggested that we be prepared to send these stores overseas after the war. Greece and Czecho-Slovakia had suffered terribly. In Greece 200 children died, every day, and this was a reduction from 500 a day owing to the help given by Turkey. Po!and was worse and conditions in France and Belgium are also terrible. (2) De-hydrating plants at present supplying food to the troops cou'id be used after the war to send food to stricken countries. (3) The Red Cross is starting a reconstruction fund. If everyone had a box by the radio, and, members put a penny in the box when Big Ben strikes there woiiid very soon be a substantial sum. (4) Medical supplies are not manufactured in New Zealand but large supplies have been built up here for E.P.S. etc. Miss Crooke said these supplies might be donated later. (5) Personnel. This covers the training of perspns to go abroad to devastated areas to assist in reconstructing the Health Services. The Quakers are helping in this. In England they call up persons trained in Home Nursing, Hygiene and Sanitation and First Aid. Persons particularly welcome are those experienced in tropical diseases diet, and infant welfare. Workers choose the. country in which they would like to work and then learn its language. Miss Crooke told of a Polish refugee ship which, recently passed through Wellington on its way to Mexi'co. The reason why these Poleswere going to Mexico, was a sad story. In 1939 when Russia seized part of Poland one and a half miK -ion Poles (equivalent to the whole popu ation of New Zealand) were eompulsorily deported to parts of Russia. The men were sent to forced labour camps r the women to concentration camps, and the children taken away from their mothers and sent to other camps. Many of the men died, approximately 40 per cent of the. women,, and 50 per cent of tho- children. After the Soviet-Po'l-ish treaty was signed these Poles had to be re-assembled again. They were sent to Persia. After a time this produced a food shortage in Persia aD.d the refugees moved on again. Some were offered sanctuary in India, Africa and some in Mexico. Princess "V\£odz;cki, representative of the Polish Red Cross telephoned H.Q. N.Z. Red Cross, asking for help. The plight of the Poles was terrible. They had only the clothes they stood up in, and there was not a complete family on board, every family had one or -more of its members mising. The Red Cross sent down 11 cases of clothing, and the Lady Gayway Guild sent a further three cases. The Junior Red Cross made a canvass and collected some beautiful children's clothing. Miss Crooke suggested that New Zealand might give sanctuary to some of these refugees for the duration of the war. There were several military camps no longer in mothers," priests and doctors, and use. The Poles had their own "camp they would return to Poland after the war so it was only a question of a temporary refuge.

Miss Crooke was warmly applauded for licr talk, and a delightful afternoon tea was served after Mrs, Jesperson had rendered two songs, "Danny Boy" and "lit's a Lovely Day To-morrow." Later a game of musical parcel was plaj'etl, Miss Crooke being the winner, and becoming the possessor of some beautiful hand-embroidered handkerchiefs. Miss Crooke than'ked members for a delightful afternoon and the dainty gift. .