“MAADI TENT”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22316, 29 April 1947, Page 5

“MAADI TENT”

SURPLUS DISTRIBUTED EX-SERVICEMEN’S WELFARE (P.A.) AUCKLAND. April 29. All New Zealanders who served in the Middle East will remember with affection and gratitude the ladies of Maadi and “Maadi Tent,” which after six years of splendid service has closed down. Although "Maadi Tent” did not aim at making a profit it did, like all wellrun centres with a voluntary and unpaid staff accumulate certain funds, which it now wishes should be utilised for the benefit of those servicemen and servicewomen for whom they worked during the war years. Wishes of Committee Early in January last the GovernorGeneral. Sir Bernard Freyberg, received a letter from Mr. N. W. A. Crawford, president of the Maadi Recreation Tent Committee, stating:—“At a meeting of the committee of the ‘Maadi Tent’ held recently we decided on a distribution of the surplus, amounting to a little over £13,000. It was unanimously agreed that £6OOO sterling should be allocated to New Zealand and handed over to you to be made use of at your discretion for the welfare of ex-servicemen of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. and for the widows and children of men who were killed or permanently disabled due to war service in this theatre of war.” This communication was forwarded by His Excellency to the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, and on the recommendation of the Dominion executive of the Returned Services’ Association the following committee was set up to undertake the allocation of the fund: — Chairman, Governor-General; committee. Maior-General H. K. Kippenberger and Colonel K. W. R. Glasgow. Allocation of Fund After careful consideration the committee decided upon the allocation ol the amount (N.Z. £7500) as under: — St. Dunstan’s Auckland Home for Blind Ex-servicemen £IOOO, Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League for allocation to all branches pro rata £2OOO, Heritage (N.Z.) Incorporated, £3500, N.Z. Returned Services Association Welfare Trust Funds £IOOO. A condition was made that the money should be spent as directed by the Maadi committee. Before Sir Bernard Freyberg left the Middle East on giving up his command lie went especially from Italy to Cairo to be present at a memorial service at the New Zealand War graves cemetery at Alamein on November 10, 1945. On the previous day a reception was held in the New Zealand Forces Club in honour of the ladies and gentlemen of “Maadi Tent,” when Sir Bernard thanked them on behalf of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. and the people of New Zealand and presented to each a letter of thanks, beautifully embossed and signed by the Prime Minister on behalf of the people of New Zealand and by himself on behalf of the 2nd N.Z.E.F.