PAPATOETOE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 293, 17 July 1917, Page 1

PAPATOETOE

RED CROSS CONCERT There was a very large audience at the Red Cross concert held on Thursday evening last. The Rev Chas Porter occupied the chair and thanked those who had attended to help the movement. He also welcomed the official organiser and the Red Cross nurses who had come from Auckland. He stated that no heroism was greater than that of the Red Cross nurses at the front and they all honoured them for their noble work and sacrifice. The people of Papatoetoe, he said, were ready at any time to help a deserving cause and the Red Cross was a most important organisation. The opening item was an anthem by the choir "The Earth is full," which was well rendered. The choir, some thirty strong, were very evenly balanced and the various numbers were well received. A violin solo by Rev Slade was much appreciated. Mr Firth's solo "The Lord is My Shephard," was deservedly applauded. Miss Daisly sang "0 Hush thee my Sorrow" with good effect. Mr Bickford, previous to the interval, addressed the gathering and appealed for support for the Red Cross work. He stated that he had come to have a heart to heart talk on the great and silent work of the Society and very few realised the far reaching good of the Society. Many people thought that the care of the boys at the front and the nursing was all done by the Governments and the Army Bervice Corps. This was not so. They were quite unable to cope with the enormous amount of work to be done on and off the battlefield. The Red Cross Society was respected the world over by all except savages and the Huns, who respected no law. He was proud to state that the British race would never rest until the sick and wounded were cared for. Six million pounds had been raised in England for Red Cross work and New Zealand should be proud to think that they were part of that Empire. In addition to nursing and caring for the wounded the Society also traced soldiers for their relatives. In Auckland £655,000 had been raised for various relief funds during the war which was a great record for a city with a population of 127,000. It represented a total of £5 4s per head of the population but out of that huge sum only £BOOO had been donated to the Red Cross work. Red Cross work costs England £BOOO per day and only sevenpence in the £ was taken out for expenses for the working of the Society. Canada had raised six millions, Japan two millions and America was now doing a great work for the Red Cross Society. From the workers in Auckland he was receiving £9OO per month as a result of his organisation. He was aiming at £.'5000 per month for Auckland Province and he felt sure it would he forthcoming. One of their wounded bojs had. stated that the Red Cross was the mother of the boys at the front and he could assure those present that such was the case.

The second half of the programme comprised a cantata " The Rolling Beasons" given by the choir and friends was very much appreciated. The soloists were Mesdames McCullough and May, Misses Weston, Nobes, Wyllie, Ferguson and Messrs Jeans, Barton, Buchanan, Long and Brad street At the conclusion the Rev. Porter announced that the sum of £2O had been realised. He specially thanked the choir and Mr G. Foster (the conductor) for their efforts for making the entertainment such a marked success.