RED CROSS SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15868, 5 April 1917, Page 3

RED CROSS SOCIETY.

■WOMEN'S BRAXCH.

The Women's Branch of the Red Cross Society held it 3 monthly meeting yesterday. Mr A. K. G. Rhodes, president of the St. John Ambulance Association, and Mr 3 A. Boyle, president of tho omen's Branch, presided conjointly. Mrs H. F. AVigram, for the packing department, reported that the following cases of comforts had been sent:—9S to Bombay, 50 to Cairo, 12 for tho transports, and 118 of hospital goods to tho War Contingent Association—;!, total of 278. Five packages of shorts hud been also *>ent to tho Hospital ships. The report referred to work done between March sth and April 3rd. The City Branch (freo work department) reported on the work done during the month, which had been very satisfactory. Miss A. Todhuntcr, reporting for the enquiry bureau, stated that tho last mail brought letters describing tho new regulations regarding tho supply of food and clothing lor prisoners of war. A great many enHiiirks had comc in from Australia during the past Qionth for men who had enlisted in New Zealand, and whose next of kin live in Australia. A sale was to bo held in Easter week in aid of the funds of tho bureau. All the goods for sale had been made by a returned soldier. Special donations received were as _ follows:—Gapes Valley Patriotic Committee, for British Red Cross, £123 16s; Horsley Downs, for Codford Hospital, £50; and from sundry givers, £3 14s. Specially handsome donations were received from tho Motor Carnival Committee £1600 (first instalment) and Mr Raphael, proceeds of concert, £700. Mr Rhodes, in reporting on the results of tho Motor Art Union, spoko in appreciative terms of tho 6plendid efforts of the Motor Carnival Committee—tho total donation from tho carnival would probably bo £2000. (Applause.) Special thanks wore also given to Mr Raphael for his work in connexion with his big patriotic concert. Tho monthly financial statement showed: — Kaiance, £6177 "s 3d; receipts, £6427 Us 4d; expenditure, £4011 ids fid, leaving a balance of £8593 Is id (less £823 13» lOd Our Day Fund, and less sundry branches in crcdit £230), or a total balaneo of £7517 7s 3d. The following sums had been remitted to date from nil towns in the Society's district: —British Red Cross, £33.277 3s Id: Our Day Fund, £18.500; balance in hand March 31st, 1917, £8953 lg Id; balance (sales depot), £1800; balances at P. 0.5.8., £1000; to French Red Cross, £5621 15s lid; value of Red Cross goods distributed, £74,156; stock of material ou hand. £1000; total, £144,308 0s Id. Mrs B. J. Lavio reported that a total of 76,105 bandages, etc., had been received during the month, compared with 50,736 for the previous month, an increasa of 25,369. Mrs Boyle stated that a reply had been received from England, stating that thero was ;\n unlimited supply of ?pha?nuni moss, find that none was needed from Xow %eala.nd. Referring to the practice of collecting in the city under tho a>gis of tho Red Cross, Mr Rlicdsa said that in some casea a R-ed Cross was worn by the collectors, though the objeefc for which they were collecting was not the Rod Fund. Thin did not seem quite fair, and he hoped that no ono would wear til" red cross unless tbev were actually collecting for iho Red Cross Fund. Mrs Wigrnm said Hint she hoped that everyone v.o:jld redouble their efTorts during the next few month*. Five tons of goods had beo;i lost in the Rotorua, and that would i-eed to be replaced. Luckily, among all tho good-) that had been sent that was the only consignment lost. Kvery boat that left Lyttelton took Red Cross goods.

The Comforts Department reported thai/ I ho following cii-ses of comforts had been sen't nwav: -50 to Kgyot, SIB to Mesopotamia. 48 to Hniimer. and nine to tlx- transports. The donations totalled £'346 10 S ]od, and tliero waa :i balance of X'GOS <te Bd. Tl'fl b'ak-a Department reported that £1311 ,'vs !)d had been received from sales of material. and il.Vi ",s Gd for "Woo!.

The Itcceivi'ns Department reported that 1-I,"Jin garments, etc., had been received during the month.