VICTORIA LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 106, 6 May 1915, Page 3

VICTORIA LEAGUE

THE YEAR'S WORK ANNUAL MEETING TO-MORROW. The annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Victoria League will be held to-morrow evening. The annual report states that the system of draw-ing-room meetings proposed at the begih' ning of the year had been carried out with considerable success. As a contribution to the equipment Of the Expeditionary Forces, the league decided to provide, as far as possible, medical comforts for the troops, and the items included in the list covered a wide range of useful articles. Twenty-one cases had been sent away with the various forces up to the present, and the league hoped to go on with the work as long as it was needed. This was being kept as special league work, though each member belonged, also, to other committeeSi and helped in other ways. 1 A letter had been received by Miss Coates (the president of the league) from Colonel Begg, stating that supplies had been found most useful in treating wounded 'men in Egypt, and thanking the league for its efforts. The thanks of the Government had also been expressed in a letter from Colonel Purdy, Director of Medical Services. Substantial help had also been given by tho league in connection with the farewell dinner to the troops at Trentham in December, the members and their friends haying provided a large share of the provisions. On Christmas Day, in response to the secretary's request, two truck loads of vegetables were sent from Wanganui, and 18 sacks from New Plymouth ; and since then vegetables and fruit had been sent from New Plymouth nearly every week. The New Plymouth and Waitara leagues had also sent an excellent case of hospital clothing and medical comforts, which would be of great help in equipping the next expeditionary force. All goods intended for the camp and marked "per Victoria League" were carried free on the railways. The girls' branch, under tho leadership of Mrs. J. D. Gray, with Miss L. Vickerman as secretary, had done • excellent work during the year. They had done sewing and knitting for the troops and had provided four excellent concerts at the camp, as well as entertaining the Vnen at the troopers' club. A large case of infants' clothing had also been despatched by them for the assistance of Belgian women. A series of scenes from "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" had been assiduously rehearsed by a cast taken wholly from the girls' branch, and a most successful entertainment was given on 4th March, resulting in a good sum of money for tho Belgian food fund. In 'both branches the league intended to continue its patriotic work as well as its usual forms of help. This month it was intended to send the usual parcels of books and magazines to tho back country — a matter in which the league had always received generous and ready support. In connection with the despatch of medical comforts and hospital clothing the report states that the cost is very high, and the league would bo glad of further help in money or goods to help keep this branch of its work going. The success of the league had been largely due to the generosity of friends outside the league; and to these, as well as to th.6 numerous officials and organisations with whom its activities have brought it into friendly relations, the league expresses its best thanks.