N.Z. FORCES CLUB IN CAIRO

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXX, Issue 13511, 5 December 1941, Page 7

N.Z. FORCES CLUB IN CAIRO

PROGRESS IN MANY DIRECTIONS

REPORT OF MANAGER

The following i s a report forwarded to the Right Hon. P. Fraser Prime Minister, by the manager of the New Zealand Forces Club in Cairo:

"Since the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Peter Fraser, was in Cairo, the N.Z. Forces Club has made much progress in many directions. Further premises have been acquired and extensions to the public rooms carried out. The arrival from England of Mrs Freyberg proved of great assistance to 1 the management, and her excellent taste in choosing the furnishings has been invaluable. All the rooms have been very tastefully decorated; much of the furniture has been replaced with a better typo.

"The tea-room lounge has been extended by taking in the officers' dining room and making this part, of the lounge. The games room has now been converted into a new W.OA< and Sergeants' dining room, and the additional space previously occupied by the sergeants is available for extension of the men's dining room. A new officers' dining room has been made in the space previously occupied by the first floor bedrooms, and the bedroom space replaced by taking over further flats on the third floor. The new officers' dining room has its own separate kitchen, which will thus relieve the pressure on the main kitchen. A new common room for the use of all ranks has been made from the use of a flat immediately above the main office. It has been open only a few days, but is already proving most popular as a meeting place between commissioned and non-commissioned ranks. "Immediately after her arrival from England. Mrs Freyberg organised a number of lady helpers and began a service to the troops in the tea-lounge, the ladies dispensing sandwiches, cakes, fruit salad and ice cream to the men. This immediately enhanced the popularity of the club. The arrival last week of SO New Zealand girls (now popularly known as "The Tuis") has resulted in further improvements of service, and in the tea room lounge where the New Zealand girls are workiner they have special counters and effect all the sales of cakes and sandwiches at one counter, tea and oeffee at another, ice cream and soft drinks at a further counter. They are also in charge of the cash desk in the same j room. The result is that the soldiers make all their purchases of food in this room from the New Zealand girls, and the native servants are only used for the rougher work "in assisting the ladies. "The club has taken out a contract for a new soda fountain counter. When this is completed, soft drinks, ice cream, fruit salad will all be dispensed under the most attractive and modern conditions in Cairo. A socla water-making machine will supply the counter from an adjacent room. "Greatly increased sales have been made of New Zealand cigarette and pipe tobacco and New Zealand canned goods of many kinds, ranging from Stewart Island oysters to North Auckland toheroas. The club has introduced New Zealand honey to the Middle East, and men of all branches of H. M. Forces call at the club to obtain supplies. Other popular lines are evaporated milk, tinned tongues, hard chocolate, whitebait, coffee, milk. etc. "The hostelry side of the club's work is one of its main features and the bedroom accommodation (approximately 200 beds) is fully booked each night. The club's library books have now been catalogued, and are much appreciated. One of the -Tuis" is to be placed in charge of the room. "The N.Z. Forces Club is the known club in Cairo, and its cash turnover of about £3,000 weekly gives some idea of its popularity. Most of the men using the club are New Zealanders, but there are also numbers of South Africans, Australians. English and Air Force men, all of whom are welcome. "The club now has a large general committee, drawn from all ranks which meets monthly and acts in an advisorv capacity. The Executive Committee meets weekly and is composed of Brigadier Falconer (chairman). Mrs Freyberg, Colonel Waite (Patriotic Commissioner), and the manager, Major Harvey Turner. The G O C General Freyberg. \ .0., is a member ex officio, and attends when Z has the opportunity. The General has given invaluable assistance to the club since its inception, and Mrs Freyberg has made the club work a whole-time job, giving ten hours a da v for the past several -months. ••East week-end. after the arrival

of the W.W.S.A. girls ('The Tuis') from New Zealand, the club had a record breaking time, and on the Saturday the sale of food was exceptional. The figures are somewhat astounding. In order to supply the meals, sandwiches, etc.. the following quantities of foodstuffs were used: 7000 egg?. 150 chickens, 1200 lb of meat. 17Cio fish. SOlb tea, <)00 lb bananas (foroaluds), 16001 b potatoes, 4 SOlb bread. 2325 bread roils. 901 b butter, 174 fires milk, and 10,0001 b. ice cream. For one day's aaies, these figures wouid prove hard ui beat. "The special preparation room where sandwiches and fruit salad are made, is proving most useful, and at the two long marble counters there is a scene cf great activity, with the ladies working at top speed and several natives carrying the raw material and finished articles backwards and forwards. The men appreciate rk? presence of the ladies, and a auieter atmosphere has resulted. "As the popularity of the club increases, so do fresh problems arise. The service given of posting mail, and forwarding cables to the troops now needs the use of a small van each morning to take the mail to the N.Z. Post Office. The result is that it has been decided to open a branch of the Military Post Office at the club and a room is being prepared for this, near the booking and reception offices. "Musical programmes have been inrtoduced into the club by the Kiwi Orchestra, assisted by New Zealand Army bands, and from now on, on five of the seven days of each week, the troops will be entertained in the ' afternoons.

"Several bulk stores are necessary for storage purposes for goods, furniture, etc. The club employs its own carpenters for manufacture and repairs, and much good useful furniture has been made from apple and cigarette cases, the Egyptians being adept at making use of any wood in their almost treeless land. "Further club development will be undertaken as the demands require —the most urgent being more hostelry to accommodate the men coming in on leave from the desert camps. "The club is fortunately able to finance itself out of turnover, and the cost of iprovements is no drain on the Patriotic Funds. "This report would not be complete without reference to the work of Mrs Blackford, who is a New Zealander, born in Christchurch. She is 'the wife of an English major and was the first voluntary helper at the club. Mrs Blackford worked at the club until the arrival of Mrs Freyberg. She then joined Mrs Freyberg's band of voluntary helpers, and continues to put her whole time at. the club and Red Cross work."