PAPATOETOE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 305, 28 August 1917, Page 1

PAPATOETOE

[The Papatoetoe Agent for "The Times" is Mr W. J. Dilworth from whom copies of the paper may be ordered.] RED CROSS GATHERING The Red Cross afternoon organised by the young. ladies of Papatoetoe and held in St. Johns Hall on Tuesday afternoon of last week proved a great success, the building being packed to overflowing. The Rev Chas Porter occupied the chair, <333* Proceedings opened with the singing of the National Anthem, after which i ems were rendered by Misses Burnside and Halliday duet), Miss St George (song), Rev Slade (violin solo) and Miss McCormack (song). Mr Bickford, official organiser of the Auckland Red Cross district, then gave an address. He referred to the Red Cross as a silent worker. He could not understand that there should be any financial shirkers. New Zealand had raised £5 4s per head of her population for war comforts aDd for various other works in connection with this great war but out of that total only £GOOO had been donated to Red Cross work. Returned men would tell them that the Red Cross organisation was a mother to the boys at the Front. Great Britain was aiming to raise one million pounds sterling for the Red Cross that year It was the opinion of many that the Army Service Corps could do the work required on the field amongst the wounded, but he assured his hearers that the services rendered by that body was infinitesimal in comparison to what the Red Cross were doing for the boys. In addition to serving the wounded the Society extended its succour to prisoners, the homeless, and foodless aid to everyone in need of assistance. Giving to Red Cross, he claimed, was not a chaiity but a privilege. As a result of his organisation of the workers in Auckland he was standing there as one of the proudest men in New Zealand. They had responded wonderfully and he felt sure that their contributions would increase. He was out to organise those present and he wished them to form themselves into a wheel of which everyone was a spoke. Threepence a week was all he asked for. Many ladies thought that by knitting they were doing their duty but they could still do much more with very little sacrifice. Mr Bickford then referred to the Girl Scout movement. These young ladies, he stated, whose ages ranged from 12 to 20, could be of great use to the Red Cross cause. They wore taught first aid, cookery, and care of the wounded and they could realise what a great help a girl so equipped would lie to the lied Cross organisation.

At the conclusion of tho address tea was partaken of and subsequently Mr Bickford conducted «n auction sale of cakos and flowers As a result of tho gathering tho sum of £ll was realised.