ACCOMMODATION ON LEAVE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22936, 5 February 1940, Page 8

ACCOMMODATION ON LEAVE

RESIDENTIAL CLUB ESTABLISHED (TBOJI OTJS OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, December 20. The wife of a former Governor of Hong Kong, Lady Peel, will _shortly start washing dishes at a residential club in London for men and non-com--missioned officers of- the Dominion Forces. Lady Peel, who was born in Nelson, is one of the many voluntary helpers of the Victoria League, which has organised and will manage the King George and Queen Elizabeth Victoria League Club under the auspices of the Empire Societies’ War Hospitality Committee. ‘ The club was formerly the hostel for women students at the London University in Malet street, near Tottenham court road. It will provide, for the modest sum of about 6s a day, accommodation superior to that to be found in many high-class hotels. It will be open to men of the Dominions’ Forces on leave.

Meals will be provided,, and except for a cook and her assistant, the remainder of the work in , this department, including the serving and waiting on tables, win be done by voluntary helpers for the Dominions. They will take shifts on different days. New Zealand will take its turn on Mondays and Wednesdays, and 24 New Zealand women will work with Mrs H. D. Robertson (Wanganui). Canadians, Australians, and South African women will work on other days. There will be sleeping room for about 400 men when the club is working at full capacity. The bedrooms are on several floors, and there are two, three, and sometimes four, beds to a room. They are comfortable and well blanketed, and there is ample room in the built-in wardrobes. Every bed has an attractive counterpane, and there are hardwood floors. There are also a barber’s shop, arrangements for laundry and clothes pressing, and a baggage room. Special attention is being paid to the provision of overseas newspapers, and for other recreation there are billiards, table tennis, and darts. There are comfortable reading and writing rooms. The club was opened this week, when it was inspected by the president of the Victoria League, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, who was most enthusiastic. The generous help of the Nuffield Trust has made the opening possible' much earlier than was at one time anticipated.