RELIEF IN CHINA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 55, 18 July 1947, Page 5

RELIEF IN CHINA

WORK OF C.0.R.5.0. ADDRESS BY DOMINION ORGANISER The present plight of the Chinese people and the work being done towards the relief by New Zealanders was described by Mr A. M. Richards, Dominion Official Organiser of C.0.R.5.0., in an address last Friday evening in the Whakatane Red Cross Rooms.

The Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, presided, and the attendance was representative of the various religious, humanitarian and community organisations which originally formed C.0.R.5.0: (Council of Organisation For Relief Service Overseas) in this town.

A war, double the length of that suffered by Europe, had disrupted every phase of Chinese life, said Mr Richards. For example, hardly a hospital had managed to save its equipment, even when its buildings had escaped damage—which was seldom. None had been able to continue training staff through the war years. As a result there was now only one doctor to every 90,000 people—the equivalent of 20 doctors .to the whole of New Zealand. Nurses, dispensers and hospital technicians were equally scarce. In view of the fact that the Chinese hospitals, which were still largely mission hospitals, could not on their own resources be rebuilt, re-equip-ped or restaffed in under 10 years, the International Relief Committee of China has called for and many to back them from all the Pacific countries in order to do the job within—it was hoped—the next two or three years. The Canadian people had contributed 6,000,000 dollars, the Americans 30,000,000 dollars- and the people of Britain, in the midst of their own needs, £1,500,000. New Zealand had been asked to send through C.0.R.5.0. as its share, some 40 expert helpers. As a result of Street Appeals and Postmen’s Drives in the southern towns C.0.R.5.0. had money in hand to send, equip and maintain for two years 16 such medical workers, in addition to six helpers for Rewi Alley. Several of these had already left and it was hoped the remainder would leave'Shortly. If the northern district gave as freely as the southern had, it might be possible to double this number, concluded Mr Richards. Some of the New Zealanders/ would be repairing or installing essential hospital plant and- teaching Chinese to operate it. Others would be training doctors, nurses and, dispensers. At the conclusion of Mr Richards’ address those present decided after a short discussion, that an organised Street Day should be held in Whakatane when an appeal to residents of both the town 'and country, would be made to support the effort of C.0.R.5.0. in assisting the Chihese in the rehabilitation of their country. The 19th September was the date on which the appeal will be held. * : Mr B. A. Watts was asked to contact all local organisations with a view to obtaining their co-opera-tion to assist on the day of the appeal and to arrange a meeting to make all necessary arrangements prior to the day of the appeal.