WHAKATANE RED CROSS CENTRE IS REGARDED HIGHLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 24, 12 August 1949, Page 5

WHAKATANE RED CROSS CENTRE IS REGARDED HIGHLY

Many people do not realise the work being done by Red Cross for relief in both war time and peace, said Mrs A. W. Winstone, secretary of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross, in an address in the Kowhai Women’s Institute, Whakatane, this week. The New Zealand Red Cross Society, for example, had sent in three years clothing overseas to the value of over £2,000,000 and spent on food for Britain over £13,000. Mrs Winstone said she was proud to belong to the Eastern Bay of Plenty Centre as it was held in high esteem at headquarters, both for the work done and the fact that the levies made had always been paid in full and cheerfully. Miss I. Crooke, Director General of R.C. and A.D., had visited Displaced Persons’ camps in Europe. These camps were established for people who crossed the frontiers in search of refuge, they had no homes, no passports, no food and, worst of all, nowhere to go. At first it was expected that these would only be transit camps but some people had been there for four years.

The camps could do no more than give them shelter and food, albeit meagre.

Transjordan relief was also mentioned by Mrs Winstone. This had been handed over to Red Cross by U.N.O. and in response to an urgent appeal New Zealand had sent £3OO.

Mrs Winstone referred to the recent Ecuador earthquake disaster and said her hearers would have read in the paper that Red Cross was on the job. That was the Red Cross’ role —to get in and help immediately, before the more ponderous machinery of civic and gubernational authority could get into action.

Immediately authority took over Red Cross continued under that authority. The New Zealand Red Cross was in action in Napier within 24 hours of the earthquake (and Red Cross then was in its infancy in this country), and also within half an hour of the Hamilton tornado. Mrs Winstone also referred to the excellent work done at the Whakatane Hospital by the Rad Cross Diversional Therapist, Miss Gay Sutcliffe.