The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1916. RED CROSS DISBURSEMENTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 24 November 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1916. RED CROSS DISBURSEMENTS.

(With, which is incorporated The Taihape Post and Waimarino News).

Red Cross matters locally seem to be getting a little mixed, no doubt owing to misapprehension. Occasionally letters come from nurses who are clinically engaged on one or other of the fronts, or at hospital bases, mentioning comparatively cases in which men without money are to some extent suffering little privations. In the New Zealand Red Cross Record for October one such case is mentioned. The fault in this instance is probably owing to difficult transport, but in all such cases the trouble arises from one cause or aii'other. It is not the problem of cause that can be solved at this distance. We can only draw attention so that those who are the proper authorities at the hospital, or who control the organisation for reller in the respective localities may be apprised and the relief needed given. The impression that men are wilfully neglected must not get abroad,, for effort to make relief as flawless as possible is a matter of progressive and earnest organisation from day to day and month to month, in the various hospital centres. Nevertheless, -as the case mentioned in the Cross Record indicates, there are occasionally cases coming to light that should be drawn attention to; for although never in the history in of the world was hospital work and convalescent conditions brought to such a wonderful stale of efficiency, there arc still the isolated cases. These cases are not numerous enough to warrant any feelings of alarm, but they constitute n subject to which attention should be drawn. Neither must it be supposed that because these cases do occur, the People of New Zealand or Australia, or, in fact, any other part of the Empire, are relaxing their efforts to do all that is possible for the brave fellows who have risked everything on their country's behalf. It is the privilege of those who cannot go to the front to -give and give; to organise and organise, in an endeavour to mar:-.? certain that none suffer unnecessarily; and it is patent to everybody New

Zealand, at least, is doing all this. It should now be unnecessary to mention what is being done, for that is obvious, but, if cases do come to light which organisation has not yet reached, then it should be our first duty to draw attention and so help in making present organisation still more perfect. That the "War Contingent Association" at Home is doing its utmost in attending to our lads can be best disclosed by quoting a letter from Mr. F. Waldegrave, of the "War Contingent Association," to Mr. Bridge, the Secretary of the New Zealand Red Cross, in Wellington, who wrote asking for a general idea of the manner in. which these funds have been expended. He says: "All moneys received for the benefit of sick and wounded are placed to the credit of our General Fund Account, and your remittance will be placed to the credit of that account. I say 'will be,' because the money has not yet reached us, the arrangements being that the High Commissioner holds remittances until required, when we requisition him, and he hands over the amount requisitioned for. The money sent to us for sick and wounded is expended on comforts for and enterI tainment of sick and wounded New Zealanders in this country. I presume that we should be justified in utilising part of it for New Zealand sick and wounded in France, but Ave have not done so up to the present. New Zealanders in England are scattered in hospitals throughout the Kingdom. At the time of writing there are about 2600 sick and wounded here, some in the New Zealand Government Hospitals at Walton and Brocklehurst, others in military hospitals from Dundee to Southampton. At all these i places we have local visitors, usually New Zealand ladies, or ladies connected in some way with New Zealand '(vide list enclosed, which is not quite complete, as conditions change from day to day). Our visitors see the men, ascertain their requirements, which are at once supplied. The/ main things asked for are —(1) shaving kits including razors, strops, soap, toothbrushes, and other toilet requisites. (2) Shirts and underwear. (3) Tobacco, pipes and cigarettes. (4) Handkerchiefs, writing material, stamps, etc. (5) New Zealand newspapers. (6) Fruit and delicacies for men who need some additions to ordinary hospital diet. Then on the entertainment side, there are motor drives, concerts, games, theatre tickets. |We often receive offers from well-known people to entertain a number of hospital patients at tea, but we have to arrange for transport. This, I may remark, is

a very general form of entertainment for wounded soldiers. There is a certain amount of expenditure on theatre tickets. The theatres have been verygenerous with free tickets and tickets at reduced prices, and it is thought politic to spend a little money in return. Next, we have the provision of comforts for men returning to New Zealand invalided. We put on board the ship by whkh (.hey travel, various articles, such as Bovril, malted milk, biscuits, ginger nuts, chocolate, sweets, games, books, deck chairs, cigarettes and tobacco, and so on; and where there is 'no canteen, a quantity of assorted mineral waters. We also supplement the kit by such things as shirts, socks, mufflers, cardigans, etc. I think you will agree with me that our funds are usefully employed, and I am sure that they add greatly to the comfort and happiness of our soldiers. We have only one object in view, viz., that our men should be properly looked after, and should be able to feci that our Association is a little piece of New Zealand transplanted to England, where they may come and be made to feel at home. We shall be delighted to supply any further information your Society may wish to have."