FOR THE TROOPS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 106, 31 October 1914, Page 9

FOR THE TROOPS

CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION'S WORK. SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW ZEALAND. '?ROH OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, 18th' September No time is being lost by the New Zealand Wai* Contingent Association in London in starting to work for the needs of the New Zealand troops when they reach Europe. The Finance Committee, of which Mr. Leo Myers is the hon. secretary, has deputed a number of members of the General Committee to make a personal canvass of persons and firms interested in or connected with New Zealand and New Zealand trade, and the results so far have been entirely satisfactory. Those who undertook to do this work were Sir James iVlills, Mr. J. H. B. Coates, Mr. G. Beetham, Mr. W. Acton Adams, Mr. R. D. D. M'Lean, Mr. 1. W. Raymond, Mr. Gilbert Anderson, Mr. Leo Myers, Mr. C. C. M'Millan, Mr. Wolf Harris, and Mr. A. Ferguson. The fund now reaches beyond £3000,, and there have been numerous donations in kind. Messrs. Ross v and Glendining and Messrs. Sargood, Son, and Ewen, for instance, have both made handsome presentations of material for the Ladies' Sewing Committee, which is doing its work in rooms at 28, Buckingham-gate, kindly lent by the League of the Empire. Lady Mills, who is chairman of the Sewing Committee, tells me, in response to my enquiry, that blankets must be one of the leading considerations. The campaign will be a, winter one, and Lord Kitchener announces to-day that thero is a great dearth of blankets in England, and the new recruits who have just been enrolled are already feeling the pinch of the cold weather' which has come on very suddehly. Each soldier will have one blanket as part of his equipment, but, New Zealand, which is famous for woollen blankets, might do worse than make, up a large consignment for despatch to London. They could then be given out as required. Another article which Lady Mills says can never be out of place is socks, good strong woollen ones, of large size. Soldiers are said to have a prejudice against cardigan jackets, but anyone who knows the German winter will readily believe that knitted woollen vests, of any colour, without sleeves, will be very welcome before the winter is through. The articles which- the Sewing Committee are giving the most time to are flannel shirts, mufflers, and socks : and pyjamas for the invalids and convalescents. As for comforts, tobacco and pipes rf re always right ; bootlaces are most acceptable; and there ore, of course, many small things which will suggest themselves to those who wish to give. It cannot be too strongly urged, however, that New Zealand committees would bo acting wisely to put the London association in possession of as much money ns they can. New wants are certain to crop up from time to time when the men are in the field, and ths London association will be in the best position to deal with them as they arise. The hon. secretary is Mr. Norman Balston, 25, Victoria-street. S.W., and the hon. treasurer Mr. R. M. Kennaway.