COMFORTS FOR SERVICEMEN

Evening Star, Issue 25617, 18 October 1945, Page 6

COMFORTS FOR SERVICEMEN

OTAGO WOMEN'S WORK * OVER 115,000 GARMENTS KNITTED Women in Otago knitted over 115,000 garments for despatch to servicemen overseas during the war years, said Mr A. E. Russell, secretary of the Otago Patriotic Council, at the final meeting of the Mayoress's Patriotic Committee yesterday afternoon. This total included 38,317 balaclavas, 577 pairs of socks, 1,133 pairs of gloves, 34,074 scarves, 32,378 pairs of mittens, 8,829 pullovers, and 15,075 hussifs. They had packed 100,621 gift parcels for boys overseas and sent 2,033 cases of clothing, weighing 251 tons, from the Lady Galway Guild for the relief of distress in bombed areas. It was gratifying to know that the women had responded so magnificently to the call for patriotic comforts, said the Mayoress, Mrs D. C. Cameron, who presided at the meeting, and she thanked all those who had so willingly assisted her and the other war-time Mayoress, Mrs A. H. Allen. The knitters for the Dunedin-St. Kilda Wool Committee had completed 31,575 articles, said Mrs G. Glue, wool convener. There had been 336 individual knitters and 24 groups engaged in the work, and she paid a tribute to their enthusiasm and energy. One woman had knitted 300 garments, and others had knitted as many as 266, 250. 200, and 100 each. The Lady Galway Guild was 'continuing to pack goods as they came in, said Mrs A. H. Allen, and would do so as long as there was need for them. The Navy League was also continuing many of its activities, said Mrs J Sutherland Ross.

A tribute to the work of Mr Russell, who had compiled statements throughout the war showing the exact numbers of comforts made and despatched, was paid by Mrs W. K. Cameron. Otago was the only province which could show a statement of all avool used, she said. Those present at the meeting were Mesdames N. D. Anderson, J. A. Templeton, J. R. Fairbairn, V. E. Galway, T. K. S. Sidey, Dora Smeaton, D. Y. M. Millar, A. A. Fairbairn, J. C. McGeorge, and Misses Vera Hayward, C. A. Keilar, E. Sutherland, and L. S. Morton.

At the conclusion of the business the Mayoress was hostess at afternoon tea, during which items were given by Misses ©. Gallien, B. Law, M. Gardiner, and Mr G. Adams.