Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10280, 15 May 1919, Page 4

Speaking at the Red Cross annual meeting last night. General Richardson said that the inadequacy of the military medical organisation in the early stages of the war had been great. In .Belgium, when ho went there, ho was astounded to see Bed Cross ambulances with women drivers going right into the firing lino and collecting the wounded. Later the military work expanded, and the Red Cross worked only on the lines of communication and at the base. Speaking of women’s Work, he said, that' it was the women of the British Empire who, by tailing their places, allowed the man-power ot the country to be withdrawn and so enabled the war to be carried to a successful conclusion.

The ferry steamer Maori, which was to have left Wellington last evening for Lyttelton, was unable to sail owing to inability to secure seven firemen to fill vacancies caused by men who signed off the articles yesterday. Four trimmers also signed off the articles, but their places were subsequently filled. The Maori could have sailed with three men short of her full complement by disconnecting ono boiler, but the Government inspector of seamen was unable to secure enough men to obtain even this end. There is said to be a grievance against the ship, and, various accusations were made yesterday against conditions obtaining in the stokehold. The Maori was almost three hours and a half lato in arriving at Wellington yesterday morning from Lyttelton owing to stokehold troubles.

The lire brigade received two calls to extinguish gorso , fires yesterday. The zrst was at the top of Aro street, and the other near the K.arori tunnel.