CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27, 2 February 1915, Page 3

CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION

THE WORK IN LONDON INTERESTING ITEMS. (rSOU ODK OWN CORAEWONDENT.) LONDON, 22nd December. A card of greeting has been sent by the War Contingent Association to the members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt. The front of the card is embellished with the flags of the allied nations, special prominence being given to the New Zealand flag. Inside are given the names of the committee and the objects of the association, together with the words: "The- members of the New Zealand War Contingent Association send you hearty greetings, and wish you the best of good luck for 1915." The envelope in which the card is sent has a striking representation of the New Zealand flag on its flap. An eye-witness at Bulford on the occasion of the departure of the British section of the New Zealand Force, tells me that the Canadians gave them an excellent send-off, providing an escort of about 1000 men and two bands. The New Zealanders marched right through the main camps, and everywhere were cheered to the echo. While passing Rome of the Canadian camps the men put their caps on their rifles and gave three cheers for their New Zealand brothers-in-arms. Tha 'New Zealanders, of course, responded in a hearty manner. Mis 3 Mackenzie, the hon. secretary of the Ladies' Committee, has been kspt very busily employed dealing with all the gifts that have come from the Dominion for distribution among the Belgian refugees and the poor of Great Britain. In all, 250 cases have been received from different towns in New Zealand. From Dunedin there came 100 cases of' clothing and from Invercargill 15 cases, while other towns have sent blankets, mutton, flour, wheat, barley, cheese, and eggs. The distribution ' of all these gifts nag meant a great deal of hard and discriminating work. And it has been supervised by Miss Mackenzie and her committee. Some of the gifts of food have been given to the National Food Fund, others have been distributed in the poor parishes of the East End, and the large provincial towns have not been overlooked. While the Church Army, the Salvation Army, the Friends of the Poor, and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Association have also been chosen for channels of distribution. A small sub-committee has been formed to deal with the distribution of the goods sent for the poor of England, lord Plunket is chairman and the other members are the High Commissioner, Lady Emmott, the Countess of Hardwicke, Mrs. Leo Myers, and Miss Mackenzie. The proprietors of several London newspapers and magazines have given the committee a large number of copies for the use of the troops in Egypt, and this also means a certain amount of work in getting them packed for the mails. Encouraging reports have been received from Mrs. Walter Young, hon. secretary, and' Mrs. John Hope, president, of the Scottish Branch, of the work being accomplished in Edinburgh, and Scotland generally, and it is evident that the ladies there have the objects of the association very much to heart. The sewing committee, who used to meet at the neadquarters of the League of Empire, at Buckingham Gate, are now installed in very comfortable quarters at Harrod's Stores, lent by this well-known firm ; and they are still very busily engaged with the supply of comforts for the troops. The ladies' committee hope that their friends in New Zealand will continue to send as many comforts as possible, and especially socks, for distribution among the New Zealand troopa. It should be remembered that the leading New Zealand steamship companies have promised to bring free of freight any parcels consigned from New Zealand to the London committee. The shipping companies are also bringing the objects of the association to the notice of the passengers on board their ships. THE RECORD OFFICE. Mr. T. E. Donne's office at 13, Vie. toria-street, has assumed the appearance of a small post office, thousands of letters and parcels having been sent from New Zealand for the soldiers, in addition to many hundreds from this country. All these have now to be forwarded to Egypt. At the request of Mr. and Mrs. George Beetham, Mr. T. E. Donne undertook the business part of the arrangements in the purchase of the motor ambulance which they have given to the Expeditionary Force. The ambulance was built to order, and can take four patients; a ! special feature about the car is that a I hot water service has been laid on, and there is also a tank of cold water. There are the usual blankets, pillows, bolsters j for making the invalids comfortable, and a full supply of nursing appliances. The ambulance is quite the last word in all respects, and accompanied the British section to Egypt.