RED CROSS SOCIETY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1943, Page 2

RED CROSS SOCIETY

MASTERTON SOB-CENTRE BUSINESS AT ANNUAL MEETING. YEAR’S WORK REVIEWED. The third annual meeting of the Masterton Sub-Centre of the Red Cross Society was held in the Red Cross Sewing Room on Wednesday. Mrs G. G. Tolhurst presided. . The balance sheet, audited by Mr Owen Jones, was adopted. This showed the financial position of the society to be most satisfactory. “The year has been one of useful work by all groups, and I wish to thank them for their loyalty and cooperation, which has made for the smooth running of the entire society,” said the president. “People have been most generous with the donations, large and small, and it would be impossible to thank people and organisations individually* for many services rendered, but to all who have helped I give our most grateful thanks. I wish particularly to thank Mr Hugo, Mr Hoar, Mr Spiers, Mrs Bunny and the Soldiers' Club for the use of their rooms rent free; Miss Elliott, the Centre secretary; the St. John Ambulance, the Country Districts Red Cross Sub-Centre, and the Patriotic Society, who have co-operated and helped our society wherever possible. Our society is an expanding one, and all branches have proved themselves equal to any demands made upon them even at much sacrifice to themselves and the volume of work achieved by the working groups speaks for itself. I hope our future year, which we know will be a year of very hard work, will be as effective and harmonious and happy as the past one has been.” The Hospital Group had had a particularly busy year ,and as well as routine work had to nut in much extra time to meet urgent calls for extra hospital requirements, particularly in the way of pyjamas and heavy, dressing gowns. Altogether 2452 articles had been completed by the workers of this group. ’ Members of the Knitting Group completed 473 articles. Included in that number were 53 long sleeved pullovers and 134 pairs of socks. The Sewing Group sent three cases of clothing overseas to distressed British civilians, making 21 cases in all that had been sent to England. Three packages of men’s clothing were sent to the Seamen’s Mission, and a case of clothing to St. Barnabas Home, Khandailah. Assistance was given with the making of orderly gowns and pyjamas for the centre. Working in conjunction with the St. Vincent re Paul Society and the Salvation Army, the Society assisted with several cases of local distress. The Prisoner of War Committee had helped next-of-kin with the packing of 150 parcels for prisoners of war. The generous assistance given by an anonymous benefactor had been a wonderful help, and thanks to this help it had been possible to ensure that all Masterton men who were prisoners of war would receive parcels of equal quality and value. The Hospital Auxiliary visited the Hospital regularly all through the year, and distributed cigarettes, books, chocolates, flowers and fruit drinks. The Handcrafts Committee visited the Hospital each week. Instruction was originally given to soldiers in hospital, but now the work had been extended to include the T.B. and Women’s Ward. The Transport section had answered approximately 750 calls since April 1, 1942. Officers elected were: Patron, Mr Ninnes; president, Mrs Tolhurst; vicepresidents, Mrs Harrison and Miss Grant; secretary, Miss Cruickshank; treasurer, Mrs Maxwell; delegates to the Centre, Messrs Lee, Ninnes, Farrell and Miss Ross; general committee, Mesdames Kilgour. Barrel, Lee, Dallas, Heath, Towns, Cook, Judd, Messrs Lee, Ninnes and Farrell, Mesdames Robertson and Hair, representing the Women’s Auxiliary of the Labour Party; Mesdames Copp and Lyttle (Townswomen’s Guild), Miss Beals and Mrs Speight (Methodist Women’s Guild), and Mrs Miller (League of Nations’ Union). Nominations from other women’s organisations have yet to come to hand.