Minutes

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SPANISH MEDICAL AID COMMITTEE
Minutes of meeting held on the 1st March 1939, at 24 New Oxford St., W.C.
Present: Lord Faringdon (Chairman), Mr. T. Blewitt, Mr. R. Calder, Mr. C.H. Norman, Mr. Le Gros Clark, Mrs. Manning, Mrs. I. Brown, Professor J.A. Marrack, Mr. G. Jeger.
Apologies for absence were received from Dr. H. Boyde, and Dr. J. Gillison.
1) Minutes of meeting held on 22nd February were confirmed and signed.
2) Matters arising:
a)   The meeting at Friends House on Friday February 24th had not been a success.     The hall was less than half filled. The collection amounted to £30, which just covered the cost of the advertisements.     The hire of the hall (£15) was therefore a loss to the Committee.     Although extensively advertised there was insufficient time for effective publicity except upon a large and expensive scale.
b)    The German Jewish Aid Committee had made application for the entry into this country of Dr. Glaser and his wife.    It was agreed that to facilitate this, we give an assurance to the Home Office that we would assist them to emigrate to Mexico.
c) Premises.   A house in Great Russell Street, consisting of 14 rooms, had been offered to us at £100 per annum exclusive. The Organising Secretary stated that he was in touch with the National Joint Committee regarding a joint tenancy and they were definitely interested.     He was empowered to continue negotiations in respect of this house, in collaboration with the National Joint Committee.
d) The C.S.I. had reported that they had spent the £100 granted to them for urgent requirements on digitalin, which was being sent to the Central Zone.
e) Nurse Margaret Finley, was still in the Central Middlesex Hospital.     No report had been received yet from Dr. Joules, but the Organising Secretary who had visited her stated that she would probably be there for at least another week. Blood tests, etc., were being taken.
3) Special Correspondence:
a) Re the Dieppe case.     Letters from Mr. Hole regarding correspondence between himself and the C.S.I. lawyer Monsr. Audard. Definite replies to our questions had not yet been received, but Monsr. Audard stated that we were not entitled to negotiate in any settlement, as the Insurance Company has entire conduct of the proceedings and any interference on our part might lead them to repudiate their obligations.
The C.S.I. forwarded a copy of a letter received from the Insurance Company affirming that Mr. Hunt's failure to report the accident materially affected the issue, and that they were obliged to reserve their rights in any consequent legal action. It was agreed to forward this correspondence to Mr. Hole for his views.
b) From Dr. Quemada, now in Norway, thanking the Committee for the "splendid English personnel and material,'' and expressing his appreciation of our work in Spain.
c) A note from Mr. Roy Poole stating that he had been asked to go to Perpignan by the National Joint Committee to assist in their work for the refugees, and that he hoped that it might be possible to rescue more transport for us.