ST. JOHN RED CROSS WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 137, 9 June 1917, Page 16

ST. JOHN RED CROSS WORK.

The war work done by the Queen Mary Guild of the St. John Ambulance local branch is not as well known to the public _- it should be. lor a great deal ol hard and valuable labour is being done, "On Tuesday afternoon the member- were busy packing cast* to dispatch to their English base at St. John'- Gate, lor distribution. A large number of iuily members were engaged both in -cwmg ana in packing up the material- already made, under the management ol" the corps superintendent. Mrs. (.'. Smith. Piles i of shirts stood around, all neatly finished j and ready lor their journey to England, while undershirts, flannel under gar- I ments. socks, bed socks, knitted vests j and dressing gowns were being packed j nnd put on tlie list A stock of opcrul I ing stockings, ready to go away was of | _reat interest to those who bad been fortunate enough not to make their pre- | vious acquaintance The stockings are | hand knitted in white wool, and ns long . ns a man's shooting waders. The labour ; involved in hand knitting one of these | stockings will he appreciated by all | knitters The Guild sends away, in all So different kinds of articles A fine stock of dressing gowns, all ready to wear, made out of a large bolt of dark grey tweed, the gift of n city firm, were faced with red and hound also in red. They looked very cosy, nnd should be a Hod-send to the hospitals to which they are sent in England. Another unusual, and .and exhihit were the i-tockings knit*' ted without heels. It wns explained that these were worn by the poor fellows who had Inst cither nn arm or a foot. They were use to keep the woiincd ''art warm. The work of the St. John workers goes I both to hospitals in England and in France, nnd to show that it is appreciated a letter has been received this week from Or. Modlin. commandant of the V.A.D. hospital nt Durham, stating that ever since the war st.rtod he has ibeen in receipt of quantities of hospital i necessities from the Auckland Division lof the St. John Ambulnnce. and he | wished it known how deeply these had been appreciated, lie specially wished to i thank those ladies who ha-l worked so [(hard to provide articles which were so much needed. A remarkable little mci I dent has come under tbe notice of the j local Division, which shows that the shirts and sarments do reach our New Zealand boys. One of the wounded men who recently returned to New Zealand, and wns in the convalescent home at Devonnort. wns wearing a shirt with the tab still on it, although almoU obliterated by washing, of the Auckland Division of the St. John Ambulance. Tbe tab was removed, and is now treasured hv the ladies ns an example tbat good deeds, ns well as curses, sometimes come home to roost.