RED CROSS WORK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2638, 8 December 1915, Page 3

RED CROSS WORK

'AMALGAMATION OF SOCIETIES. About sixty delegates from various societies in the Wellington Military District which aro doing work for tho comfort and caro of tho soldiers met nt tho Town Hall yesterday to discuss resolutions passed at Govenimont House last month relating to amalgamation of Hod Cross work. Tho Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke) occupied tho chair, and fully explained the resolutions, which ivere set out as follow:—

"(1) That the suggestion of the Order of St. John and British' Bed Cross Society be adopted—viz., that all organisations in New Zealand othor than tho Order of St. John be united under the title of the 'New Zealand Branch of the British Red Cross Society,' keeping their individuality if they 60 wish by prefixing the name of their town or district boforo tho words 'New Zealand,' and at tho same time co-operat-ing with the Order of St. John where that organisation exists. , "(2) The centres to manage the details of the organisation, utilising as lar as possible the machinery at present oxisting. "(3) That Mr. A. H. Miles be asked to accept tho position of officer-in-oharjje of the central department in Wellington, for the purpose of ascertaining (a) what goods are required; (b) method of dispatch and packing; (c) how and where the goods are required.

"(4) That the council for the central organisation oonsists of three members from each of tho four military districts, together with the officer in charge of tho central department in Wellington, and His Excellency the Governor as oh airman.

"(5) That this conference approves of the employment of paid secretarial assistance for the officer in charge of tho central department, and authorises the council to make all necessary arrangements in connection with such appointment, and the allocation of the cost thereof between the various di6triot organisations.

'"(6) That one or more representatives be appointed, unpaid, at each of the following places:—Egypt and Malta."

In tile general discussion that followed, Mrs. Kitson, Upper Hutt, asked would the resolutions affect their individuality? They had promised to do some sewing work for the St. John Ambulance, and wanted to know how they would bo affected.

Mrs. Luke said that this would not affect tnom

Mr. C. P. I'owles, representing the Marton Society, said that tliey were quite willing to join the British Red Cross, so long as tliey did not loso their individuality. Mrs. Luke pointed out that the resolutions from His Excellency made a point that tlie _ individuality of each ecciety was retained. Tliey were wording with one object, and all small sodioties, slio thought, should join lip, foi the fewer small societies they had the better' it would be. His Excollency would keep in touch with everything, and work would be allotted from the manager appointed. That would bo the Fairest way they could work. As far as comforts went, she thought they would all have a free hand, but in tho working part all overlapping would bo done away with. , In anßwer to a further question, Mrs. Luke said that the Lady Liverpool Fund did not deal with tho hospital work. It was for comforts pure and simplo. The Bed Cross work, and the work done by tho Lady Liverpool Fund would bo kept separate. A Woodvillo delegate said that they had always taken direction from tli'o Mayoress of Wellington, and they had always been satisfied. She suggested that the same arrangement should continue.

Mrs. Luke said that she was pleased that satisfaction had been expressed. When goods were sent to them slio pointed out, they would have to be tritsted. Parcels might not always go in the direction indicated, for urgent calls had to be met from stock. She appealed to all working bodies to send in their goods to time. Thus''a great deal of expense could be aaved. Other delegates also expressed tho opinion that they would be satisfied to take their'directions from Wellington. Mrs. Luke said that a long report had been received from Egypt on tho • packing of their Liverpool work, and it-was gratifying to know that the Wellington district got great praise for their packing. It was most essential that the goods should be well packed, and no food should be put- with linen. Miss M'Lean, head of the nurses, said that she had been at the headquarters of the Red Cross Society, and she•_ assured. those prosent that the British lied Cross was doing a great deal for our men in Egypt. There was no need to fear that our men would not get a fair share from a common fund.

Mrs. Luke later explained that a conference would bo held at a future date, and three delegates would be sent from each organisation. They would vote on the amalgamation question. . She pointed out that the St. John Ambulance Society already hud their organisation. They should send the best dolegafes to the conference to vote on the matter.