FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

Shannon News, 11 October 1927, Page 3

FEEDING THE HUNGRY.

RED CROSS WORK AMONG CITY CHILDREN. A beneficent work which is being car-, ried out by the Red Cross Society in Wellington is that of providing a daily meal for certain children attending a school in one of the poorer quarters of the city. Early in the winter mouths it came to the society's notice, as a result of an inspection by the schools medical, officer, that a number of the younger scholars were under-nourished and ill-clad. The Society's nurses visited the homes of these little ones, and discovered that honest economic reasons were the basis of the trouble. Immediately the Society's Voluntary Aid Detachment was called into action, and attended the school each day to prepare and serve a hot midday meal to those special cases. The meal comprised soiij), cocoa, bread, butter and fruit. Since the work .was inaugurated, over 1400 meals have been served. In addition,, the children have been fitted out with warm apparel. The staff of the school have noted a marked improvement in the physique and mental alertness of the children in question, as a result of the service given; and letters of appreciation have been received by the Society from the headmaster, the school committee, and the Education Board. The ideals of the Red Cross movement are amongst the highest to which humankind can aspire. In time of peace the League of Red Cross Societies, comprising 54 distinct nations, of which this Dominion is one, have as their goal the fulfilment of the following ideals: — The improvement of health; The prevention of disease; and

The mitigation of suffering through out the world.

The movement is non-political, nongovernmental, and non-sectarian, ministering in the name of humanity to all, irrespective of class, colour or creed.