N.Z. FORCES’ CLUB

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 59, 3 December 1941, Page 9

N.Z. FORCES’ CLUB

Report To Prime Minister The affairs of the New Zealand Forces Club in Cairo are the subject x of a report wade to the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, by the manager of the club. “Further premises have been acquired recently and extensions to the public rooms carried out,” the report states. “The arrival of 30 New Zealand women (now popularly known as “The Tuis”) has resulted in further improvements of service, and in the tea-room lounge where the New Zealand women are working they have special dbunteis and effect all the sales of cakes and sandwiches at one counter, tea and coffee at another, ice cream and soft drinks at a further counter. They are also in charge of the cash desk in the same room, "Greatly increased sales have been made of New Zealand cigarette and pipe tobacco and New Zealand canned goods of many kinds, ranging front Stewart Island oysters to North Auckland toheroas. The club has introduced New Zealand' honey to the Middle East, and men of all branches of the 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 New Zealand Forces Club isthe best known club in Cairo, and its cash turnover of about £3OOO 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.

“Further club development will be undertaken as the demands require—the most urgent being more hosetlry 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 improvements is no drain on the patriotic funds."