JUNIOR RED CROSS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 187, 25 August 1937, Page 3

JUNIOR RED CROSS

English Author to Lecture in Hastings . WQRK OF MOVEMENT Yisiting New Zealand at the conclusion of a tour througli Chiha, Jajan, Manila, and Australia, Mr Lewis. de Gielgud, XJnder-.Seeretary .of the League of Bed Cross Societies at its headquarters in Paris, will arrive in Auckland on Septeipber 20, and, accompanied by his wif e, will visit most d£ the,prmcipal tow'ns during his nionth itt'tho 'Dotuinioii. \ Mr de Gielgud, wlio comes at the inv ilt.tinii of the New Zealand Socie'ty, is- uc present attendiug aii internution:il juiiior Red Cross cOnference in Ja'pan. He will ar'riye in Hastings 011 October 13, and," at a^public nieeting which 'is "to bc convened by his 'AVorsliip the Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison,- he will give a-resume of his tour, 'and expjain -the international aspects of the Juuior Red: Cross movemient ■ Educated at- Eton and Oxford, Mr. do Gielgud is the author of several works ahout the Eed Cross organisation, having written i ' About Xt and About' ' dncl 11 Diafy ' o'f Tfayel; " the latt'er . work. being an account of his- travels in the -Near'Hast, folie^ving His - visit *to' Tdkio for the Orientab'Red- Cross conference in 1926. Incidentally Mr de Gielgud is a brother of the famous ac* to'r of the same name who is wellknown 011 the London stage. Mr Harold Large, of Napier, who was the New Zealand delegate to a siinila"r conference in Tokio in 1935, was very enthusiastic on his return in his praise for Mr do Gielgud 's work at the conference, while Mr Large made favourable* coinmenx 011 his diplomatic. expericnce. '.and. secretarial work in . Paris. "Mr 'de Gielgud is coming to New Zeaiand at the end'of a'-world tour, -togive us . here his personal\experionce and advice in xeofganising. ihe New Zealand Red Cross .inlo . that sphere of usefuin&ss and lielp - in every ;form of service and relief of suffering tliat we so desire to . attain,'.' said Mrs 'l1.. H. Lowry, president- of tho New Zealand Society, in an interview, in explaining Mr de Gielgud 's mission. Mrs Lowry outlined the purpose of tlie Red Cross, -which has organisations in sixty-live countries, and thirty-iive milliou members, mentio'ning in' detail •the' Work of Ihe Junior Red Cross movement. # There were ' tiventy million boys and girls thr'oughout the world belonglng to this organisation, including many in New Zealand. With its inotto of "We Serve,•, ever-before it, the body had as its three priraary aims the promotion of health, service, and international friend-sliip. Striving for tho Hrst object, ■ the junior body's members tried to observe the health rules of their teachers ; and instructors, for in the -Dominion the society had the co-"operation of tbe Education and Health , Departwents, and instruction. was given in many schools. Their aiin to give service had the widcsfc application, said Mrs Lowry. The ehoice of service- was left to tlie children themselvcs, and usually took the f orm of service in the home, and assisting and providing comforts' for crippled children. Tho third aim,'- tliat of promoting international friendsliip, 'was. put into practice by tho exchanging of scrap books, or portfolios, compiled by the children during school geography periods, 760 of these liaving been exchanged between children in-differ-ent countries last year. The Red Cross Societies felt, said Mrs Lowry, that in tlie junior movement lay the hope of world peace in the future. This junior organisation, had 1 the approval of various "women Js boaies in New Zealand, 'including the National Couiicil of Women, the Women 's Institute, and the Women 's Division of the Fajmers ' Union. Thoiigh' Mr de "Gielgud, who will be the guest of Mr and Mrs Large, will only be in Hastings for one day, Mrs Lowry expressed the hope that the meeting, at which he would give an illustrated public lecture, would be well attended.