N.Z. SOLDIERS' CLUB IN LONDON.

HOW IT IS MANAGED

AN INTERESTING LETTER

Mr R. H. Nolan, who is the hon. secretary of tbo New Zealand Soldiers' Club in Russell square, London, gives an interesting account of the work of the club in a letter to a friend in Christchurch. Ho says:—. - "I have had a very strenuous time for the last three months i'n connexion with the New Zealand Soldiers' Club in London. Directly our men came over from Egypt to Franco, so many from each nnifc got seven days' leave, which meant that after the first week there were always about 250 in London (on leave). I mot them daily at Victoria Station, and used to take them to tho Y.M.C.A. or Peel House, wherever I could secure accommodation for them. I soon realised that wo ought to have a hostel of our own, and discussed it with a small committoe, with the result that wo approached the Now Zealand War Contingent Association and got it properly established. "We got tho War Office to commandeer above premises and took possession of them on July Ist. Had to alter them to suit our purpose, furnishing, staff, etc., and opened on August Ist, with accommodation for 200 men, which is pretty prompt when ono considers that wc are in England. In some of the contracts T had them working night and day. which of course had to : be well paid for, but I wanted the work done. I have had congratulations from lots of English people at tho expeditions way the work was done. Mv office is in the premises, so I practically live on the spot, but visit the family occasionally. "Our charge is 3s per day. breakfast, ! lunch, bed. 8d each, dinner Is, baths free. Every man from the trendies gets a clean suit of underclothing and pyjamas. The discarded ones arc , sterilised, washed, and mended <*if worth renovating). They then coino lin for others. lam working it mostly by j orderlies who are convalescent. aJid not fit to return to Fiance. There is also 0 canteen which is never closed day or j night. This is all worked bv voluntary I labour, and waiting in the dining-room is also voluntary. Scrubbing, etc.. is done by charwomen. When in full work, we cxpect to serve over 6000 meals a week, as lots of convalesccnts from hospitals com© in for a meal. All men on leave are met at Victoria Station and motored up to tho Club, where thev have to register and report." Mr Nolan mentions that Mr Jno. Grigg is on his hostel committee.

At the Ha.ri Hari stock saio last week (says the "West Coa«t Times"), an incident of local interest was much enjoyed by the •attendance present. A prize Jersey bea<st, enjoying tho muchhated namo of "The Kaiser," was given to the Rod Cross Fund by TVIr H. H. damson. He passed quickly round the. buyers on the rails, realising tho substantial sum of £'28 3s, and finally was knocked down by Mr Hewer to Hokitika's local stock auctioneer. Not desirous of entering the "meat trade," and knowing something of "The Kaisers'' record as a fence-breaker, Mr Jeffries submitted the beast to further competition for tbo local Hall Fund, and he was knocked down to Mr Ford for £2 lftj. When last seen, "Tho Kaiser" was in full defenco of the roadway leading to the "Dardanelles," and held full possession until a bombing party of tliirsty souls sallied forth from "Ansae Cove,'' and moved his bovine Majesty to a more congenial locality.