RED CROSS SOCIETY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1943, Page 3

RED CROSS SOCIETY

COUNTRY DISTRICT SUB=CENTRE ANNUAL MEETING. ACTIVITIES OF PAST YEAR. The annual meeting of the Country Districts Sub-Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society was held in Masterton yesterday afternoon. The president, Mrs A. C. Gawith, presided over a large attendance of members who were industriously sewing while the business was proceeding. All districts in the Wairarapa were represented. Officers were appointed for the ensuing year as follows: President, Mrs A. C. Gawith (re-elected); vice-presi-dents, Mesdames J. de Castro, W. James and A. Keir; hon secretary, Miss Ethel Rutherford; treasurer, Miss K. Dixon. Group leaders were appointed as follow: V.A.D., Mrs W. James; sewing, Mrs de Castro; spinning and knitting, Mesdames Milne and McPherson; hospital, Mrs T. A. Cunningham. District, representatives: Tinui, Mesdames W. Tye, C. Taylor, P. Andrew and Miss Langdon; Opaki, Mrs Wingate; Rangitumau, Mrs D. James; Fernridge, Mrs W. James; Bideford, Mrs T. Falloon; Mataikona, Mrs Haggitt. No representative has been appointed for Gladstone. Miss Elliot was appointed publicity officer. Messrs Low and Cunningham were re-appointed honorary auditors. Mrs Gawith and Miss Rutherford were presented with shoulder sprays. In submitting the annual report Mrs Gawith extended sympathy to all who had suffered bereavement and to all those who were anxious about relatives or friends posted missing. EAST COAST SUB-CENTRE. Mrs Gawith explained that the East Coast area was so cut off from the subcentre that they had formed an auxiliary branch of their own with a membership of over 130. After short reports had been given to the meeting of the auxiliary’s activities at Whareama, Homewood, Mataikona and Tinui, Mrs Gawith referred to the Home Nursing classes which were given in the V.A.D. section at the beginning of the year by Mrs W. James. The examinations had to be postponed on account of the earthquakes. Later Home Nursing classes were given by Mrs V. Britton in a room lent by Miss Sutherland. Eight candidates passed the examination. Much appreciated Home Nursing and First Aid classes! were given to classes at Bideford and, Matahiwi by Mrs W. James. Certifi-' cates were presented by Mrs A. F. Stewart, Wairarapa Centre Advisory Director. Mrs Gawith said that the Wairarapa Centre staged an interesting V.A.D. rally at the Lansdowne School last November. A team from Featherston won the cup presented by the Registered Nurses’ Association. The earthquakes in June resulted in the Government taking over the Country Women’s Club and it was some time before the centre was able to move into the present quarters at 30 Church Street. MEMBERS’ WORK. Mrs Gawith stated that a shop day was held last November for which the expenses were negligible. A sum of £209 was raised. A certain amount of sewing had been carried out in members’ homes and thanks were extended to Mrs de Castro for distributing it. The sewing group had made up 470 garments for the centre, including heavy dressing gowns, pyjamas, pullovers, etc., and they had made up 138 garments for the shop day. The spinning group had been busy making white wool for hospital stockings and grey wool for prisoners of war garments. They would be glad of more spinners. Appreciation was expressed to those who had given fleeces and to the “amateur spinners” who met at Lansdowne, and to the Ranfurly Club for spun wool. The papier mache group had done good work. Besides supplying equipment to the Home Guard they had made a number of attractive articles for the shop day. COMFORTS FOR SOLDIERS. Mrs Gawith said that the Masterton hospital had been visited each week when cakes, books, etc., supplied by different sub-centres in the Wairarapa, were taken to soldier patients. The sub-centre donated £lO towards Christmas comforts for soldiers. The help given by various Red Cross centres to earthquake sufferers in the country districts was much appreciated. An amount from the Macarthy Trust was- also used for earthquake relief. Supplies of clothing for prisoners of war parcels were being collected to help next of kin, as it was considered that it might be difficult to obtain some of the articles in the future. Mrs Gawith asked members to do what they could to help tjje American Eed Cross. In conclusion she extended the sub-centre’s thanks to all who had assisted during the past year in any way. TREATMENT OF MARINES. An interesting address was given by a medical officer of the Marine Corps on the best way for hostesses to treat members of the corps who were spending a period of recuperation, after ill-

ness, on farms. The primary need was for the men to get back to a homelike atmosphere, said the doctor. Nearly all the marines had not been home for two or three years and they had lost contact with home /ife. It had already been found that the good cooking here had been greatly beneficial to the men. Many had gained weight. Ninety per cent of the men had had malaria and many had had malaria very badly. Some had had it sixteen and seventeen times. The doctor urged those present to see that marines in their care should take their quinine and other pills. If they looked run down and weak they should be made to take'a sleep during the day. It was hard to make them rest as they had been fighting while under malaria fevers with temperatures from 103 to 105 degrees.. The doctor answered many questions and in conclusion thanked those present for the warm and hospitable welcome which had been extended to the marines in the district.