THE RED CROSS

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 230, 6 September 1939, Page 2

THE RED CROSS

MEETING IN OPOTIKI. GOOD RESFONBEi URGED The -lied /Cross : is' now recognised throughout the World as Jflie symbol of human compassion. The fundamental idea is readiness to serve . the. .sick and suffering, and preparedness for service in Peace or War. - '

Florence Nightingale led tlie-way bj her fine example. 'J’h© actual origin*' ator ol' the movement was a Genevese citizen named Henry Dunant, who had been profoundly moved) by the sufferings of .the wounded whom he had seen on the battlefields of Solferino in 1859, with no person or organisation to look after them, embarked on if"campaign which ledl to the formation in 1803 of a Committee for: the suffering of wounded soldiers in time of war, and eventually secured the signature by the principal states of the World at .the Geneva Convention of 1801, which, revised in 1906,- constitutes tho basis of the Code of civilised warfare of to-day.

The primary purpose of the National lied Cross Societies, which have arisen since 1864' in nearly all civilised countries has been, until 1919, to care for the sick, wounded, and prisoners of armies and navies in time of War. |,i ].919, on tlu: initiation of Mr. Henry P. '..Davkllsoii, Chairman of the War Couiioil of the American P.ed Cioss,; the Red Cross Societies of the I'nited States,' France, Great Britain Italy, and Japan founded the League cf P.ed Cross Societies. The purpose of the League, which to-day compr'scs 60 National He'd Cross Societies, .'s to maintain in time of peace the outhiisii mi- and devotion displayed during tlie War by the National Societiej m the relief ol human .suffering, and to utilise this great force for the follmV iiig purposes, as set down in the Articles of Association of the League. It shall :

(1) Encourage and! promote in evo:y country the establishment and development of a duly authorised Voluntary National Red Cross Organisation, working in accord with the principles of the Geneva Convention.

(2) Collaborate with other organisations' in the improvement of health, the prevention of disease and the initi gat ion of suffering.

(3) Place within • the reacJi el ail peoples the benefits to be derived from present known, facts and new contributions to science and medical knowledge and their application. (4) Furnish-a medium for co-operat-ing with national Red Cross Societies in promoting, stimulating, and co-or-dinating relief work in ease of national and international calamities or disasters.

The work of developing Red Cross Societies on the basis of popular membership in order to assure to the Red Cross the greatest possible influence, was urged upon and declared to be the responsibility of every country in the world. The League also stressed tin pressing need which exists at the present time to create among all classes an intelligent dkimand for bet-' ter health conditions and an increasing knowledge of the means of securing them. Also the adoption of peacetime programmes aimed specially fit meeting this need by popular health instruction, Home Nursing, and Junior Red Cross organisation; the latter constituting a specially valuable means of securing the education of the coming generation in health matters at the most impressionable age—the Spirit of Service which lies at the basis of the Red Cross Na-, ticnal Red Cross* Societies were also urged to continue and amplify their activities in the direction of training volunteer personnel tor work in' the health and social fields, and organising the services of the personnel so trained. and extenolng . the facilities tiny offer te, the public in the form of elementary courses in First Aid, Home Nursing,’and Hygiene. The New Zealand Reel Cross Society is desirous of training thousands ol both men and women in First Aid, Home Nursing, and Hygiene so as to be ready at all times to despatch a contingent of trained personnel to render service to people in the. event oi epidemics, disasters, or war.. In order to do this it is necessary to create the necessary organisation through which people will be trained for such service. . ‘ • , . •

It is 'hoped that, the people ef C-po-tilei will attend the meeting, called by the Mayor arid thereby assist this worth while humanitarian Society to achieve ■ its unselfish objective's through which tlieTßed Cross can help people to help themselves and ethers, in the Prevention of Disease and the Mitigation of Suffering. The meeting

is called for Thursday, September 7th. iu the Labour Room. ‘ ' The Director General; Mr. lr;i-J. Bridget, will be present, and! outlinemore fully the aims and objects of the Society and explain, the methods of organisation.