RED CROSS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 September 1941, Page 6

RED CROSS

SOCIETY’S INTERNATIONAL WORK JUNIOR SECTION NOW FIRMLY ESTABLISHED. TRAINING OF V.A.D.’s & OTHERS. “Rotary and Red Cross in many respects have much in common in the ideals which they are seeking to foster, namely, the spirit of international amity and goodwill. Never before in history has the world stood in greater need of this spirit.” said Mr M. S. Galloway, Dominion Secretary of the New Zealand Red Cross Society, in an address given at the Masterton Rotary Club today on the activities of the society. After referring to the birth and growth of the Red Cross Society, Mr Galloway said there was not a war or a major disaster in any part of the world in which its operations were not immediately and effectively brought into full play and its solacing ministrations were not felt. Sixty-eight distinct nations were affiliated to the movement constituting what was known as the League of Red Cross Societies. having a membership of fortyfive million. Briefly its objects were the improvement of health, prevention of disease, mitigation of suffering throughout the world. The Junior Red Cross was firmly established in 58’ nations, having a membership of twenty-five million, said Mr Galloway. Its objects were the inculcation of health, high ideals, the true spirit of service and international 1 friendship and goodwill. In these lands in which it was established its membership was numbered by hundreds of thousands. In New Zealand the juniors had made thousands of children’s garments which had been sent to the British Red Cross for distribution among air raid sufferers in the United Kingdom. It was most warmly endorsed by the leading educationists the world over and would prove invaluable as an element in the character building of youth were it allotted a more prominent place in the curriculum of the educational system. The Red Cross in this Dominion performed signal service in the last war and in the epidemic which followed the depression and had played a worthy part in disasters which had occurred. within the confines of this territory. notably the Hawke’s Bay earthquake, said Mr Galloway. The opening of this war had found the organisation ready. Its five hundred branches immediately swung into action and had co-operated in the making and dispatch of a large volume of hospital comforts. Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachments and Transport Corps had been efficiently trained and organised and already these units had demonstrated their value. Under the society’s auspices thousands were being trained annually in first aid. home nursing, hygiene and air raid precautions. Mr Galloway stressed the value of this training and the extreme urgency and wisdom of strengthening and perfecting the Voluntary Aid Detachments and every branch of the Red Cross endeavour. Even supposing the service was not called into more extensive requisition, he claimed that they as a community would benefit from the training and the co-operation for service shown. Their organisation cooperated whole-heartedly in the appeal for the sick and wounded, the result of which was assuredly an eloquent testimony of public confidence in the Red Cross. He paid a tribute to the people of the Wairarapa for the liberal and consistent generosity with which they had supported the society’s work. The Red Cross, under the Geneva Convention, was the only point of contact between the belligerents. It was the auxiliary to the army medical and health services. Through the International Red Cross news was received of missing, killed, and prisoners of war. Through this channel also flowed the exchange of letters, food and clothing for prisoners of war. Correspondence was also exchanged between foreigners domiciled in this Dominion and their kinsfolk in enemy and enemy occupied territory. They had but touched the fringe of what could be accomplished in this country. Their aim was to see established in every town and hamlet throughout the Dominion a real, live, efficient Red Cross branch ready to play its part. He warmly commended the very fine work, which had been accomplished by the Wairarapa Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society under the chairmanship of Mr Norman Lee and with the co-operation of the various sub-centres comprising its components parts. (