WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16585, 26 July 1919, Page 11

WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION.

♦- DEMOBILISING WORK. C j (FROM OCR OWN COBIIESPONDEXT.) LONDON', June 11. Owing l to the six weeks' delay in. January and February in the dispatch of transports for New Zealand, tho life of the New Zealand War Contingent Association has been considerably prolonged. The- Hxeculivo has decided that so'long as members of the N.Z.E.F. arc in. the United Kingdom it is their duty to 6ee that the men's interests are looked after. Mr I. W. Rayipond, chairman of the Executive 1 , tolls ino that during tho last three', months tho clula and recreation rooms ai Hrockonhurst, Boacombe, Hornchurch, • and JSwshott have been, closed, and realisations effected. Providing that- transports are noi detained through industrial troubles, Walton, Codford, and UatlamU will be closed by the end of Jixlv. The head office ut Holborn and the canteen adjoining at 11 South- p amptou Roft",. will probably hav© to keep going lint".l the end of August. Tailing ihe period from, the Ist January to the end of Mav, the activities of the Association hive included, providing entertainments for the hospitoi patients and fit mci. in a variety of ways. The total number en-, tertnined in January was 10,402, February 9606, March 8193, April 8600, May 7500. Concerts, ' tiventre parties to. London, _ visits to the country and to London, river picnics and boating were the favourite forms of amusement. A'feature of the work of the hospitality department has ever been to secure hospitality in the country. Tho hosts and Hostesses "in tho United Kingdom have been most "•onerous iu this resoect and thousands of our toys can return to the Dominion having I partaken of tho kindness of the people here. ■ A buying department was found necessn a3 it bccame. known that the soldiers w-1 - being Victimised by the tradespeople. This department has rendered iavaluublo holp. to the boys. • . At the canteen at 11 Southampton Bow, boys from hospitals have always been entertained ns guestr. This canteen lias been a boon to fit men during their stay in Loudon. It is also largely patronised by the staff of the Military .tfoiidquarters. The cantean workers have valiantly stuck to their job although the war is over, fecliug that now more than at any time the. men require lioraoly surroundings as they are at loose OD aiie clubs at the various camps have been, a ereat factor in the lives of the men. -Iney liavo ever been the popukr rendezvous, and with their comfortable reading rooms, social ball games, home made confectionery, ana good . tea, at prices fujly 50 per cent.Jess than in <he usual tea rooms, ha'.o cont buted substantially towards making tl>- - diers le3B disgruntled witu their lo . Providing transports witj, sports materia!, or.tf dec* c-haus was reoo nwd as a n*ce*B,ly .1 the men were lo kor.i in healthy occupation, l.w OX. oi each transpoit * bunded a ch <^ uo J° r out lav in tho purchaso .of P n7 '« an<l .. s As n'?ariv Cfl.OW men were returning, at -s tjc- head this represents a, considerable es s; )l]re It is however, money well spent, h E ve also been made towards Camp and in victualling men part in the -nous proc-ssiona held recently id nd ?P; { thc from New Zealand is beir.g T>nl.