N.Z. RED CROSS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 196, 14 May 1919, Page 5

N.Z. RED CROSS

THE YEAR'S WORK A VERY FINE RECORD •' The following is a-summary of tlie result of the year's work in tho Wellington Centre of the N.Z. branch of tho British Eed Cross during tho year:— "Total valuo of goods dispatched from the depot for export, ,£ls,oßtf 18s. lid.; total valuo of goods supplied to local military hospitals, lis.i total'money collected for all purposes, 11s. Bd.; total amount, £W,b'i~ 4s. 7<l. In addition to the above, goods and money have been sent away from some of tiio subcentres of which we have ,no record." The report goes on to etnte:—"During the year this centre has contributed to the British Ked Cross Society ,£33,516, and has remitted to the London Committee of this branch for expenditure upon our men in England J)lli,!KU, the latter being expended by the London Committee, under the chairmanship of Colonel E. Hcaton Rhodes, tho New Zealand Eed Cross Commissioner.

"Tho Eed Cross supplies for Europe ■ have also teen sent to the commissioner ' for distribution, whilst supplies and ' money have been sent to Egypt, to Meso- ' potamin, to Salonika, and to Bombay. Be- ' sides the ordinary Bed Cross goods sent ! to these places we have sent a considerable quantity of such New Zealand pro- ' ducts as tinned milk and meat, extracts ' which are found to bo a very acceptable ' addition to tho hospital diet in these countries. AVe havi also sent considerable quantities of the same, products to England to be put upon returning trans-' ports. The London Committee is also authorised by this branch to put upon the returning transports for the. use of sick men extra luxuries and comforts to the value of XI each, and wo have received several letters hi appreciation of ; this arrangement. The society also con- : tributes monthly sums for expenditure at , each of.the local military hospitals for extra comforts and luxuries for the j patients. !'our Day, 1913." : "His Majesty tho King having made a special appeal on behalf of the British i Eed Cross Society it was decided that there should be one appeal in. New Zca- ; land for all Eed Cross purposes, and that ' the proceeds should bo allocated between i the British Eed Cross Sooiety, the London Committee of this branch, and local : requirements. In connection with this the committee adopted the 'copper trail ; scheme at tho suggestion , of Mrs. A. h. • Penrce and Sirs. T. M. Wilford, who were appointed directors, and who conducted ; it with great success. The thanks of the ; society are due to those ladies who devoted so much time and energy to ■tho successful working of their scheme, which : produced such magnificent results. A Eed Cross drive was also instituted in various parts of the district, and this produced very satisfactory results'under the managemeutof Sir. M. Carr. The gratitude , of "the society is also due to Miss-Frnser for a donation of ..£ISOO as,the result ot a baby carnival which was got up and successfully conducted by her and a com- ■ mitteo working under her direction. As a Tcsult of the 'Our Day' efforts-we were able to ■ contribute .£33,516 towards the New Zealand contributions to the funds of tho British Eed Cross. Society, for which the president received a handsome acknowledgement from Sir Arthur Stanley, the president of the parent society. ■ Red Cross Shops, . . I "Eed Gross shops conducted by separate women's committees at different sub-. I centres have been very successfully mann"ed, and have been able to make great contributions to the funds' as a result of the' splendid work "of tie committees which have conducted them. Tho contribution from the AV.ellington-Bed vrqss. shop alone during the.- two years of its existence was X19,K!0 19s. 7d.., "Owing to the armistice it was not considered necessary to issue any n.ore permits for these shops, so their very useful existences have been' brought to a "We have our cuota of MS 17s. Gd. for tne upkeep of the Inquiry Bureau, which was established in ChristchufcTi in charge of the Kev. L. Hard whose addvess is P. 0., Box 30, 'Christchurch. This bureau does excel-lent-work for the whole,of the Dominion and has .been the means of answering many inquiries respecting absent soldiers. Hospital Ships, "The New Zealand hospital ships, Maheno and Ifnraraa, which have returned to New Zealand several tinr;s during the year with badly-wounded men, hnyo ni.uie eome calls upon the dopot which iius bera able to eupply.tliem with Eed Cross supplies. At the request of the chap-, lain we provided n kineniatograph for the Maheuo, which was much appreciated. "A contribution of JE2OO was nmd?.,to the committee of- France's tribute to oe used for Eed Cross purposes. Twelve hundredweight of cake was sent to the. New Zealand hospitals abroad for the use of patieuts and nurses, and several letters of appreciation have since been received. 'Tho Comforts Conimittto visited each patient in the local hospital at Christmas time and some luxuries were provided for them. . "Fortunately during tho influenza epidemic, in :>iovember last, the-society vran able to put the resource.? of the depot at the disposal.of the authorities, and Eed Cross workers wore able to render great assistance in the different districts in dealing with the epidemic. Attention is called to the constitution which 6tates one of , the objects of the society, to be to render assistance in the event . of any public calamity or disaster, and this should be borne in mind and assistance promptly offered by the society upon the happening of any such, events. Returned Sick and Wounded. "Now that all the New Zealand sick and wounded are being returned to New Zealand and will be located in thedifferent military hospitals and convalescent homes, it is important that the committee at eacli sub-centre where thesa institutions havo been established should form visiting committees who will, with the concurrence of the military authorities, undertake to visit the men m hospital regularly and provide suitable entertainment and recreation for such of them as are able to be entertained and also to supply them with aDy comforts or luxuries winch are allowed to them. The men ill hospital much mrreciate these visits, and the visiting committee ran often do n great deal to brighten the lives of tho men and help to oring them back to health. One of the most beneficial forms of entertainment, is to j take those who are convalescent for motor • drives when Hiafc is'permitted to them. "Tho largest military hospital in this district will bo at Trentham, where it is expected there will be five or six hundred patients, and it has been arranged to establish there n-Eed Cross club and depot from which Eed Cross supplies can | be drawn and where the patients can find rest and recreation when they are able to take it. The circular, ward which has been.kindly put at tho disposal of j the society by the Wairarapa Patriotic j, Society is being altered by the Red Cross .; Society to make it comfortable and fit for the purpose, and it is expected that ■ it will prove a ffrent boon to the men. "Aβ it has been found impracticable i to get private owners to take 'he ctn- j valescents out for outings regularly in ! come places, the society has arranged to , provide drives for 'tho men cither by , contract or by the purchase of cure , which are put at the disposal of the i men in hospital. At Trentham it i< at ; present done by contract, but in «cl-:' lington a ear was purchased and we have ; been fortunate in being able to secure ; tho valuable services of several lames ' who drive convalescents out every day, .' nnd. to these, ladies wo owe a debt of ,' latitude. The motor-car which was do- ; ; in" service in connection with the ' Lowry Bay Hospital is now to do service nt Hatunrn Military Hospital in Hawkos Bay. Functional and Educational Treatment. "This cenlro has contributed this year . ,£2162 3s. 2d. towards the expenses of functional and vocational treatment of men in the various workshops and hospitals which have been fitted for the purpose, inclu'.linir thoso at Harper, Eolorua, Victoria, Lowry. Bay, Invereargil , :.\ Dunedin, Napier, AVanganui, and Christ-church.-In, eome places we have mado , contributions, towards temporary buildings which have been erected in coiynoc- ,- tion with the" hospital. In thoSe/institn. tions crippkd men are taught to uso their limbs in connection with some work or employment which is appropriate to th«ir crippled condition, and the m«n ,

nro thus assisted to.-recover the use of their wasted linibs or are taught eomo trade which they will be able to follow in the future. Those institutions are entirely under the management of the Defence Department, but following thelead of the Bed Cross Society in England we have made contributions to tho above objects, and huve been ttblo to supply workshops and tools, comfortable furniture, and other extras for the comfort and assistance of the men during their treatment. "Your committee desires to acknoiv. ledsc tho services of the ffreat army of Red Cross workers in all the sub-centres of tho district whose sen-ices nre freely Riven, and to the public for the generous and ready response which is always made to the many calls of the Eed Cross. . "As the. armistice camp immediately after the 'Our Day' apppal of lasl year had been made in anticipation of another year of wnr, it is not expected that it will bo necessary to make any further appeals to the public, but that the funds retained in New Zealand will bo\snfficipnt to carry on the work of the society until the hospitals are completely evacuated. "It is impossible to make separate acknowledgement of tho valuable services rendered by the many workers, but special thanks are due to the capable hon. secretary, Miss Sybil Xathan, who has devoted the whole' of her time to tho service of tho'society from the beginning of the war to' the armistice, and to the hon. tronsiver, 1f ,, . .To.=r>uh. and actingtreasurer. Mr. S. Wright, by whom. our books .niid accounts have been kept m a most efficient nnd satisfactory manner.