N.Z. RELIEF TEAMS FOR GREECE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 13, Issue 337, 7 December 1945, Page 16

N.Z. RELIEF TEAMS FOR GREECE

An Explanation of Why They Haven’t Gone Yet But Will Be Going Soon

"THE LISTENER?" is not interested in the pros and cons of the argument which seems to have developed, or to be developing, between the National Patriotic Fund Board and CORSO (Council of Organisations for Relief Service Overseas), but we are interested in the subject-matter of the argumentthat is, the proposal to send New Zealand relief+teams t® work with UNRRA in Greece. One of the reasons perhaps why UNRRA has not yet come fully alive in this country, why it still seems something remote and impersonal, is because we have not yet had any of our own men and women in volunteer reliet teams overseas, sending us back word of what they are doing and what needs to be done (though some New Zealanders are, of course, in paid administrative positions with UNRRA). So we went to C. G. White, vice-chairman of CORSO, and chairman of the N.Z. Red Cross Society, to ask him about the situation. a * * ¢ HE report in the papers about the action of the Patriotic Council delegates in having turned down CORSO’s request for funds to send relief teams to Greece almost suggested » that CORSO has no official standing," we began. "So perhaps our first ‘question had better refer to that."

"Well, it needs to be remembered that CORSO was not set up of its own volition,’ said Mr. White, "but came into being at the request of the Government, which is the agent for UNRRA in this country. CORSO comprises practically all the humanitarian organisations in the Dominion-22 in all. I won’t name them all; but to give you just a few, there’s the Lady Galway Guild, the Red Cross Society, the National Council of Women, the Y.M.C.A., the National Council of Churches, and the National Patriotic Fund Board itself. So its credentials are obviously good. In addition, the chairman of CORSO is Mr. J. H. Boyes, the Public Service Commissioner, who was nominated by the Government for the position." Keeping Relief Human ‘ "What specific jobs is CORSO intended to do?" "Its main purpose, like that of similar organisations in other countries, is to prevent UNRRA from becoming an affair of governments only. It keeps world relief and_ rehabilitation, despite the gigantic scale on which it must be performed, still human; still direct, and person to person. Specifically, it helps New Zealand, by giving publicity te UNRRA, to carry out its obligations to distressed ‘peoples; it co-ordinates the help which separate organisations and individuals want to give towards overseas relief; it seeks volunteers fot relief service, selects

and classifies them, and gets them ready for the job; and similarly it helps with collection of goods to send abroad." "Perhaps it shouldn’t be necessary to ask this question, but has CORSO been in effective operation so far?" "Yes, the organisations working under CORSO have Already collected and sent many tons of clothing specifically to Greece; they were also very actively engaged in the recent big UNRRA clothes drive which, according to official reports, was such an outstanding success in New Zealand; and in addition CORSO has carried out a number of other collections of special items, such as buttons, wool, fats, and toys. But of course, the main job has been arranging the personnel for relief teams. .. ." Too Late for Italy "You mean the present teams wanted for Greece?" "Well, in the first place UNRRA said it would welcome N.Z. teams for Greece, but we couldn’t get them away at that time. Then teams were wanted for Italy, but again they could not be supplied in time; and the opportunity has passed. But Greece is still in desperate need; both the Greeks themselves as well as UNRRA have invited N.Z. to send teams, and this time théy will be going. And they will need to leave soon if they are to arrive in time to do most good;

that is, before the winter really sets in." "We don’t want to get involved in the argument, but there’s this question of paying wages to team-members. Is that usual?" "Yes, the principle of payment is ex~actly the same as has been followed for teams from Britain and Australia... ." "Have those countries sent voluntary teams to assist UNRRA?" The Question of Wages "Certainly. In fact, I think I’m right in saying that New Zealand is now the only principal member of the British Commonwealth not yet represented in this way in the field. And in all cases it has been a recognised principle that payment should be made to the workers. The trouble is that there seems to be some confusion over the word ‘volunteer.’ But a volunteer is not a person who is unpaid; the distinction is rather with those administrative officers who are officially selected by UNRRA, attached to UNRRA’s own staff-and often paid high salaries. The men and women who are going overseas from CORSO won’t be highly paid-not by any means. But they are experts-medical people, sanitation specialists, people with experience of transport, welfare work, and so on; all very carefully chosen. And many of them are- married, or have dependants. We must provide allowances for those dependants; we must arrange to meet their (continued on next page) . .

(continued, from previous page) fixed commitments, for example, insurance and superannuation payments while they are away; and in addition we must meet their out-of-pocket expenses while they are on the job, for don’t forget they won't have the facilities available to soldiers in an army." "What about UNRRA? What does it do?" "UNRRA will pay half the cost of the teams; that is, transport, there and back, and upkeep in the field. New Zealand, through CORSO, has to meet the other half. Our men will be paid at the basic army rate of 11/6 a day, with allowances for married team-members, but with no distinctions as for officers in the army. Considering the type of people who will be going, and the hard and often disagreeable work thev’ll he

* doing it’s really a very low figure. That’s why CORSO needs this sum of £6,000 to £7,000 immediately. It will enable us to support two or three teams, comprising about 25° persons altogether, for the first year. But df course, that’s only the first. year; and besides Greece we've already had inquiries for relief teams from the Chinese Government." Raising the Money "Why hasn’t CORSO gone out and collected money for this purpose on its own account? Surely the public would have supported the object?" "I’m sure it would have, and I’m sure it will," replied Mr. White. "But the position is that during the war, Government regulations placed the collection of funds for all relief purposes under the control of the National Patriotic Fund Board, who in turn took their instructions from the Provincial Patriotic councils. Money was, in fact, collected by the patriotic authorities for overseas relief, but they say it wasn’t collected for this purpose. That’s mostly what the argument is about. However, I won’t go into that.

"Anyway," continued Mr. White, "CORSO applied for the right to collect on its own account for the purposes covered by its constitution. That permission was for a long time refused, and so the sending of the teams was held upuntil a month or so ago, when the necessary permission was at last granted. So, now that the Provincial Patriotic Conférence has finally turned us down, we shall have to appeal straight to the public, CORSO is going to launch a concerted campaign to raise money to do the job it was given to do. In the meantime, however, it is essential that the teams which are waiting should leave for Greece almost immediately, and Miss A. Dun. can, chief welfare officer for UNRRA in this part of the world, is at present in New Zealand to tie up the final details. Until the money is raised by public subscription-which may take some time-arrangements have been made for the immediate expense of sending the teams to be underwritten by the New Zealand Red Cross Society until the end of March," "If any person reading this wants to subscribe, what is the best way to go about it?" we asked. "Simply send a contribution addressed to ‘Greek Relief, Wellington,’ or to any local Red’ Cross Depot."