"STITCH, STITCH, STITCH!"

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 72, 25 March 1915, Page 6

"STITCH, STITCH, STITCH!"

AUCKLAND'S PATRIOTIC WOMEN. WORKING FOR SOLDIERS AND , SAILORS. All through the hot summer months an industrious company of women known as the Patriotic Guild of the Civic League have attended regularly at the Town Hall to cut and stitch for the benefit of the children of Imperial reservists who have been called to the colours. (They have worked very arduously and devotedly in a systematic way Tinder the direction of the Mayoress (Mrs. CJ. Parr), and letters of thanks from benefactors show that their labour has not been in vain. All the material is supplied by the Civic League; the Patriotic Guild, does the rest. The Mayoress was quite enthusiastic over the work of Guild members when showing products of their industry to a reporter this morning. "Sometimes -when J have gone to their room upstairs in the Town Hall on hot summer days," said Mrs. Parr, "I have wondered how they could stand it, and yet they have gone quietly and uncomplainingly on. Some of the reservists' families contain as many as eight and nine children. AU these are being provided with meat and warm clothing." Mrs. Parr said that the guild were especially indebted to Mr. R. H. Wilson and the Singer Sewing Machine Company for the loan of machines. At a conference recently held in Wellington, it was resolved, on the recommendation of the Governor, that all supplies from {New Zealand for the Red Cross hospitals for wounded should be sent through the St. John Ambulance Association. The ladies interested in the movement in Auckland state that 'all widling to help in the city and all country committees that have been so j ably assisting may have patterns of articles necessary for Red Cross .work on application to Mrs. Smith, president of St. John Ambulance, Rutland Street, or to Mrs. F. E. Baume, secretary of the ladies' committee of the. Patriotic League. Town Hall. Socks, Balaclava caps, wristJete, etc., arc still needed for the troops, and similar articles in navy blue for the* navy. The Mayoress has been asked to interest the women of Auckland in the base hospital at Trentham training camp. The women of the Dominion are giving and equipping -the base, each centre giving so many beds. What Mrs. Parr wants to achieve is the raising of a sum of £45 for the purchase of three beds, to bear the name "Auckland" on their head rails. Any society giving £15 could have its name inscribed on a bed. As the Mayoress pointed out, there are thousands of men passing through the Trentham camp, including a large proportion of Aucklanders. "And if our men get sick down there," she asked, "how much more homely will they feel in Auckland beds?" Mr. J. Y. Warren has consented to receive subscriptions at the office of the Patriotic League, Town Hall. Several letters of appreciation have been addressed to the ladies of the Auckland Patriotic League by officers of the forces in Samoa and Egypt, and also of the Maori contingent. They express especial thanks for comforts and games | supplied while in camp and for tho voyages. Needless to state, these acknowledgments seem to be exceedingly well deserved.