RED CROSS IN CHINA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1938, Page 7

RED CROSS IN CHINA

APPEAL FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT RESOURCES BEGINNING ■ TO RUN LOW. RETURN OF DRS. WATSON » & MAAKA. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An appeal for continued support for the work of the International Red Cross Society in Centra? China is contained in a letter from the secretary of the Kweiyang committee of the society, Mr E. H. Scott, to the secretary of the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society, Mr C. Meachen. The letter, which is dated from Kweiyang on November 16, is as follows:--“This letter is primarily to advise you that the International Red Cross Committee for Central China has established an office here from which to continue its activities. “We left Hankow rather hurriedly three days before it fell, with the intention of establishing ourselves at Changsha.. The situation there was so tense that it was obviously impracticable to use it as a centre. The city is now in flames. We, therefore, moved on to Kweiyang. “This location is somewhat far south-west to serve Central China, but it is now the most suitable centre for goods entering China for dispatch to hospitals, and by its proximity to Kunming it is convenient for airmail service abroad. “Dr. Maaka arrived here yesterday from Ichang, via Chungking, en route for home, via Hong Kong, through Kunming and Hanoi. I happen to be leaving Kunming tomorrow in our car to arrange transport matters there so Dr. Maaka will be travelling with me for that stage of his journey. I hope that the return of Dr. Maaka and Dr. Watson will not end the interest of the people in New in the great needs in China. “With the spread of the war into an ever widening area, the problem of meeting the need becomes increasingly difficult, particularly as the main communication arteries pass out of free China, but the problems just place an added responsibility on such bodies as the International Red Cross for Central China. Our resources are now beginning to run low, and I would, therefore, appeal to our friends in New Zealand for continued and generous support. “With warm thanks for all the help the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society have rendered in men, goods and money, and in the lively hope of more to come.”

Mr Meachen has also received a cablegram from Hong Kong stating that Dr. T. F. Watson has arrived there, and that he and Dr. Maaka will assist with the refugee problem before joining the Nankin on January 1 on their return to New Zealand.