RED CROSS SOCIETY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 May 1943, Page 3

RED CROSS SOCIETY

MASTERTON SUB=CENTRE MANY GROUPS ACTIVE. HANDCRAFTS FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS.

The monthly meeting of the Masterton Sub-Centre of the Red Cross Society was held last evening, Mrs G. G. Tolhurst presiding. Accounts for £5 9s lid were passed.

A lettei’ was received from St. Barnabas Home thanking the Sewing Group for’ a box of children’s clothing. The Wairarapa Hospital Board wrote thanking Mrs Brockett and Mrs Dagg for the work they had done in connection with giving instruction in handcrafts in the tuberculosis annexe. The Ladies’ Auxiliary 'of the Masterton Navy League wrote thanking the subcentre for clothing sent to the Seamen’s Mission.

Miss M. Speedy, representing the St. John Nursing Division, was welcomed to the meeting. The Hospital Group, it was stated, was working two days a week and had handed over 200 articles to the centre. It wished to thank the Mayoress, the Patriotic Society, the Lady Galway Guild, the West, Lansdowne and Central schools, the Junior Red Cross Society and Mr Pickering for goods donated. The Knitting, Sewing, Hospital Auxiliary and Prisoner of War groups all were carying on their routine work. The Handcrafts Committee had visited the Opaki School Junior Red Cross Group and given instruction in the making of papier mache goods. The Red Cross Transport Service had made 83 trips in April, doing a mileage of 1836 for sick and wounded, and 240 miles for the Red Cross Centre. On eight occasions members of the service had acted in the capacity of guides for U.S.M.C. lorries taking men on sick leave to homes in outlying Wairarapa districts.

In connection with the Shop Day to be held on May 28 for funds for normal activities, the meeting was notified that Mr Hamill had kindly given the use of his empty shop previously occupied by Cody’s. This assistance was greatly appreciated by the Sub-Centre. The shop would be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The meeting decided that there should be no raffles.

Mrs Stewart, advisory centre director for Voluntary Aids, spoke to the meeting concerning the urgent need for more nursing and domestic voluntary aids for hospitals. Hospitals were experiencing serious difficulties with shortages of staff, both nursing and domestic, and all Red Cross sub-centres were urged to make every effort to train more voluntary aids. Concerning the matter of occupational handcrafts for returned soldiers still undergoing hospital treatment, it was stated that this work had already been started. A permanent workroom was required and this mattei' was under consideration.

The Occupational Handcrafts Committee was empowered to bring down a programme of work and if funds were required the sub-centre secretary was authorised to make application through the centre for a grant from the Sick and Wounded FumL