Y.M.C.A. CANTEENS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 124, 21 February 1944, Page 3

Y.M.C.A. CANTEENS

Penny Purchases Total £500,000

, An address on his recent visit to the forces in the Pacific was given by Mr. K. JC. Brasted, national secretary of the National Y.M.C.A.’s, at the Wellington Y.M.O.A. Optimists' Club. Mr. Brasted returned recently from the Pacilie area, which he visited as an agent of the National Patriotic Board. He told of his landing on a certain island and being confronted b .V 11 ta "’ smart Fijian soldier who demanded, ■'Have you a pass to land?” “Ye<s, I have,” said Mr. Brasted, showing _ his pass, “and, my word, you keep your jeeps in line order.” 'rhe Fijian soldier drew himself up to his full height and said, ‘There's no place in lhe British Army for dirty motor-cars.” I Mr. Bras’tcd said that at the present time there were 36 Y.M.C.A. secretaries in Italy, together with 26 orderlies who were working right up with the forces at the special request of the army authorities. As an indication of the tremendous amount of work done in Y.MX’.A. canteens, he said that since the beginning of the war the turnover in the canteens from penny cups of tea and penny pieces of cake had reached nearly £500,000.