WELLINGTON RED CROSS SHOP

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 22, 20 October 1917, Page 5

WELLINGTON RED CROSS SHOP

DISPOSAL OP I'UHDB.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting of the Wellington lied Cross Shop CummiUce was held in the Concert Chamber ot tiio Town Hall to discuss the further ,<Usposal of funds resulting from the el r forts made in connection with the shop. The Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke) presided, and there were also present in Mention to the committee, Colonel W. S. Moorhouse, Messrs. T. Young, Tripp. and Shirtcliffe, representing the general cuinlnitteo of the New Zealand branch or tne British Eed Cross. Mrs. Luke having explained the purpose of the meeting, Mr. Young β^c" I }- ed the general organisation of the tfntisn Eed Cross, and gave the reasons lor the formation of the Now Zealand braneu. Previous to the past eighteen months we in New Zealand had no Ked Cross representatives in England, Egypt, I'ranee, and Mesopotamia. To lighten thenwork, the British authorities asked that New Zealand should elect representatives to look after the needs of the Now Zealand sick and wounded. In response to 'the request, the High Commissioner, hir Thomas Mackenzie immediately set to work, an orgnnisalioii was formed, and a Eed Cross Commissioner appointed, lo keep the work going it was, or course, necessary to have funds, and these were voted for the carrying on of the work at Homo by the executive in New Zealand. There were, however, at the present time no representatives of New Zealand in France, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, and it had been decided that the Hon. R. a. Rhodes should go to England to look into the disposal of funds, and to find out whether it was necessary to send representatives of New Zealand to those almvementioned countries. 'If it was found , necessary then money would havo to be found so that these representatives could attend to the necessities of our sick and wounded men in these countries. At tho persent time there was enough money in hand for the needs of New Zoalnnders at Home, and it was not thought necessary for the committee to send further sums for a while at least. As so many difforent efforts to raise money for the British Eed Cross had been made during the year it was thought that half the amount realised by tho "Our Day" appeal should go to the British Eed Cross and half to the New Zealand branch. Colonel Moorhouse read the balancesheet received from the Eed Cross Committee in London, and as there was w good deal of money in hand at Home for the needs of the New Zealand men, he was M opinion that it was not necessary at the present time lo send any more. If more were wanted at any time the New Zealand executive was always cabled to.

Mr. Tripp agreed that it was not necessary to send any more money just now for our men. '"Ho strongly deprecated the ear-marking of funds tor special purposes. It was better to let the committee use the money for what was most required. Hβ considered that our well men should also bo looked after, and money spent upon them as well as our 6ick and wounded.

Mr. Shirtcliffo also thought it a mistake to ear-mark monoy, and agreed

with Colonel Sfoorhouse that there was enough money in hand for flie nteds of the Sfeir Zealand men at Home. Ho expected that considerably less money would bo received in response- to Lord Lansdowne's appeal for funds for the British Red Cross this year owing to tho fact that bo many appeals hud alroady been made for Red Cross purposes. The Red Cross Committee which had been, set up at Homo in connection with the New Zealand organisation was a very good one. Mrs. Luke moved thnt the motion passed last November, that the money realised by the Wellington Red Cross Shop be seat to England for the nee of our New Zealand sick and wounded soldiers, be rescinded. The motion was carried.

A further resolution was brought forward by Mrs. Luke- to the effect that

the funds from tho Wellington Red Cross Shop now held by ihe treasurer ,£27 dO) be paid over to the "Our Day" appeal. .... . : . .. . A considerable amount of discussion followed,."Mrs. W. V. Mnssey and -lire. A. Myers • being of the opinion that as the money resulting from the Red Cross Shop had bean raised for Now Zealand soldiers 'it really ought to go to that fumd, instead 5 of being handed over to an amount that would be divided between the British Red Cross and our own New Zealand organisation; It was pointed out by Mrs. Luke, Mrs. Adams, and Mrs. Seville what an enormous amount had been done far our men by tho British organisation. Mrs. Adams pointed out that a great many New Zen. landers were now in the British Army, and Mr. Young also pointed out that the New Zealand branch had no representative in France, and our men uero looked after there by the British authorities. At least it would be some recompense for what they were doing for our men in France, as well as in Mesopotamia and elsewhere. It was in Britain that New Zealand men were looked after by the New Zealand organisation. Mrs. Seville considered that the poor response that had been met with in regard to Lord Lansdowne's appeal for the British organisation was entirely due to the exhaustion produced' by the endlws appeals made for our own men, and she was strongly of the opinion that the committee ehould consider the resolution brought forward by Mrs. Luke. Finally the motion'was carried. Another resolution was brought forward by Mrs. Luke to the effect that further funde received from the Bed Cross Shop be paid over to the treasurer (Mr. Joseph) of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand organisation of the British Red Cross, to be held by the trustees for further calls made for New Zealand eioic and wounded men. This was carried. Mrs. Luke proposed that a very hearty vote of thanks be passed to Mrs. lirtn, the secretary'of the Red Cross Shop, for the splendid work which she had done in connection with the undertaking, blie had put heart and eoul into it, and the results had been most gratifying. Ihe motion was carried with acclamation.