GOOD FROM WAR

Chronicle (Levin), 3 April 1946, Page 3

GOOD FROM WAR

LADY MOUNTBATTEN SUMS UP Some good tkings come even out of wars, in the opinion of Lady Mountbatten, and on the asset side of .the recent war she plaees as oue' of the most important developiheuts what has been done for children. The systemised provision of necessary health foods, she considers a defmite step forward, also the extension of day and residential uurseries. ' ' The children have Stood up ' to- tlie bombing ' well," she said at a Press conference in Wellington. "And in1 some ways they are better off through the war. I see no reason why beneiits allowed during wartiine can not be now giveii in peabetime.,, '* "Adsdeanj" at 'Funtington, ;Sussex, a country honie of Lord and' Lady Mountbatten, has been taken over by the Dr. Barnardo Homes and- used as a refuge for 60 babies. Anotlxex good thing.;of wartime growth in the opinion of Lady Mountbatten was the interchange of welfare working groups between cobntries and nations. It ■ wa& sOniething which she thought should be continued into the f uture. Contaots ^hade by people working along humanitarian lines would be important in kceping world peace, she thought. 8oon after the deffeat of Germany, she said, the Red Cross had had teams of workers through the whole of Europe. There had befen a teain at Belsen Camp and others in camps in Austria. Women in India, China, Malaya and Java were doing a great work at present in bringing conditions back to normal, many of them after long years in internment camps. The Red Cross had no sectarian or eolour liinitations and so in Java worked as niuch among the Indonesians as the Dutch and British. It was a great step forwaTd for Indian women, said Lady Mountbatten, to have left their country to go down to Singapore to help with welfare work. They had established their growing -freedom well in wartime. Asked when she was going to take a holiday, Lady Louis replied: "After seven years ; work I have just ceased to believe in holidays. I don't believe they ever ha£jpeul " She is looking forward to being out of uniform and wearing civilian clothes once more. "The sooner the collar and tie come off, the better!" she said. RECEPTIONS IN WELLINGTON. When Lady Louis attended the reception given lier by the St. John Association and New Zealand Red Cross Society, in Wellington, she had a bright smile and a handshake for every guest. At her request, ali the guests were presented to her. Pollowing afternoon tea, she mounted a chair to address the gathering " so that she cohld see everybody. " She presented a trim iigure in her iminaculate navy uniform with its rows of serviee Tibbons. Lady Louis spokc of the warmth of the welcome she had received on both her visits to New Zealand and how mueh she admired the country. The work of St. John and Red Cross voluntary aids from New Zealand had been watehed with tremendous pride and admiration by the joint societies in Britain, and their help in all theatres in the hospitals was welcomed. "We have servcd in hospitals at home and abroad, " said Lady Louis. "We have helped in the civilian hospitals, taught first aid, paeked parcels, and attended tedious work parties. I have seen what came from New Zealand and know the gratitude of your men and our men as a result." A wclcome was also extended to the guest of honour by Miss H. I. Cooke, Director of Red Cross V.A. 's in New Zealand, and by Mrs. Claude Taylor, Dominion Superintendent of St. John V.A. 's. Before the reception, Lady Mountbatten attended a luncheon given by Mrs. Harold Kemp, step-daughter-in-law of the Prime Minister, and the wives of 'Cabinet MinisterSo