EDINBURGH'S WORK

Evening Star, Issue 17227, 17 December 1919, Page 8

EDINBURGH'S WORK

■ FOB THE SOLDIERS DURING THE GREAT AVAR. Tu And. 1915, a number of New Zealand | hul.es who Ivor, liu-a in Vonm-d ' j lhem.-idvc- into a eeninili O'e M sanoiv ecrc- ! form fuv onr New Zialuid wallers. A t,m----i-iiUi- -inn of orrery wa - loknred. anil a i uiiply ol wool and other malarial , pm. j ehaerd. Regular work mornings were ;:r- ---! Dinged, and frequent supplii ■; cf socks,! I pyjamas etc., wma: ionv.ircied lu l'.,e '■ j yi c " Zealand War Ccnl.irgc-ni Association to; I I e.i•tribuLion amongst, the various hespita;-, I • bait's. In Scpi ember of the same ye.;; [ the first of the New Zealanders ou leave ■ were seen in Edinburgh, and at ihc request of the High Commissioner a bureau of in- : formation was opened, and arrangements made for the men getting desirable quarter: l . A fun her step was to invito the citizens to oiler hospitality to the men, and qlnks was generously responded to. As numbers of A'c-w Zealand soldiers and men from Australia and other parts of the Empire were glad of the services thus rendered, the Edinburgh branch, of tho Victoria League decided to open an Overseas Soldiers and Sailors’ Club. Thai, was the beginning of tho Kin*' George and Queen Mary Overseas Soldiers 7 Clubs. Mis David Wallace. tho hou secretary of the Edinburgh branch of the Victoria League, was the life and eonl of I lie movement, and the splendid work done Lethe chibs has been such as to deserve ae Jkuowledgmenfc by publishing a. few leaehm facts. ° The first club was opened by Lord Rosebery in December, 1915. The number "of 1 overseas men visiting Edinburgh increased! very rapidly, and extensions to the Victoria j League's promises had to bo made at regular intervals. By the end of 1918 four main clubs and four large sleeping annexes were > available for tho men. I From the opening of (ho first club until i 31st January of this year, when the last i report was published, there were 744,526 i meals supplied and 241,554 beds. After that ’ date until May last were always 1 full, but after May, owing to the repatria-1 t-ion of the men, the members began to fall off. It was expected that the last club ' would be closed about November tho Ist. j The clubs were all splendidly equipped, and had reading and billiard rooms, bureaux of information, and excellent sleeping quarters ! for the men, while the food supplied was of j ths best. The expenditure on food alone for Hie year ended January. 1919, was I £20,441 11s lOd. Much private hospitality j was arranged for our boys, and arrange-1 ments made for visits to the historical parts i of the city and to many industrial establishments, also frequent trips to several of the best, farms in the district. The charges to the men were most moderate, and. owing io the large amount of voluntary work done by the Edinburgh ladies, (ho clubs were practically from the start self-supporting. Another feature of the Victoria League's ] work in Edinburgh during the war was the. I providing of an excellent club for overseas I nurses. Up to January last. 9,765 meals j and 5,050 beds were supplied at this club, j and much appreciation has been expressed : by many of our New Zealand nurses of the comfort and attention shown them. | No doubi many of our returned Otago men ! shared in the club’s benefits, and we arc ! sure they will join with ns in rendering 1 thanks to the Edinburgh folk and the New’ ; Zealanders who were {here at the time.