SOLDIERS’ READING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20137, 5 January 1940, Page 6

SOLDIERS’ READING

BOOKS FOR TRANSPORT R.S.A. APPEAL SUCCESS TWO CASES FORWARDED Despite the fact that several previous appeals for reading matter for hospitals, military camps and other institutions had thinned out the surplus books in private libraries, the appeal for the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association for contributions of books and periodicals for stocking the New Zealand Expeditionary Force transport libraries has proved most successful to date. Already two large cases of selected books, comprising over 800 volumes have been sent to the assembly point fixed by the New Zealand association, which is sponsoring the appeal throughout the Dominion. Sufficient books for another substantial case have been accumulated in the past few days, and these will be sent on early next week.

The initial object of the appeal was to stock the transport libraries for the overseas voyage of the First Echelon. The books required for this purpose have been secured, and the nucleus of a collection for the transports of the Second Echelon is being prepared.

Gisborne contributors to the scheme have shown a keen sense of discrimination in their donations. Complying with the request of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, almost all the contributors sent in books in good condition, and of up-to-date interest. A number of copies of the classics lave been handled by the assoc'ation, and these, of course, will have their section of studious readers among the troops; but the bulk of the offering has been made up of modern fiction and non-fiction reading, such as might be expected to appeal to the average young man

As the .books have come to hand, they have been scanned for condition, and a small number have been put aside owing to their having pages missing or some other defect. The percentage of rejections is strikingly small, however, and Gisborne’s contribution to the success of the Dominion appeal must be adjudged highly creditable.