HEROES ALL

Grey River Argus, 1 September 1917, Page 8

HEROES ALL

>'EW ZEALANDERS FIRST.

specified period after. Tlie stylo of the " bxiildinir is that oi" a huge bungalow and the furnishings- arc as com(V>itublc as the design is artistir-. The main ont ranee leads into a spacious loenge and an equally extensive cafe, separated only by a lattice. Off these radiate a quiet room with writing accomodation for HO or 100 men ; a billiard room with three full-sized tables; a concert hall (including, a most artistic stage) ta seat 500 or (500 soldiers; and dormitaries containing beds, sufficient for. 400 men. Added to these beds nre hot, and cold baths, cloak room, hairdressing saloon, and other .covenient appointments. MEMORIES OF HOME. ■" But * there js 'a something about lhe Shakespeare Hut that -cannot be described in writing. It. is like the difference between a grand house without, the atmosphere of a home .and a place which, however plainly furnished, has yet. the homely touch. There was a gathering of the honorary .women workers for a presentation of medals to those of their number who hud served continuously for a specified number of months. Out of a "total of 3r;o in attendance, np less than 200 received ' medals from Colonel Valin'tihe Matthews, onfc of the principal ' officers of the London Military DisJ trict. To hear the appreciative remarks of the colonel was to realise liow highly the military authorities value the work which is being done on behalf, of the soldters under the auspices of the 'V.M.C.A. Subsequently these P>3o vivacious English women, ma*_y of them from the best homes in London, assembled in the garden area for a group photograph. Their rose-tinted os.ralls and j close-fitting black silk caps added cot■our to a picture such, as on. »ees rareijy in a life-time. These women are j doing a noble work. They are on Uluty in turn throughout the whole, 'twenty*, our hours. Manj*- have never needed to work in their own homes, but here' they dust jind polish, tidy and necoiate, cook nd serve with the nrdonrx of a., strong patriotism. The Cfifo is conducted with the smartness of our leading places in New Zealand, and above all the ladies set a standard which has a distinctly elevating effect. The mothers and sisters of New Zealand men cannot thank them sufli-'-j ciently. !

UNDER LIGHTS O' LONDON.

THE WELFARE. OPJfEW.'ZEA

LAND SOLDIERS,

Amierrv English Tommy was- in Lon don on week-end leave and he waltzed „ his heavy kit towards the entrance, of the YiMiC.A. -TJut,. at Euston, much as a good-natured dancer pilots a weighty ■pa'r-ffter through a crowded hall. The hour was .rrtidiiight, but in these days ol! warfare onC hour' is like ; another in resiiltless London. "Just Over from Prance?" asked a passer-by.. ' - * His lilting song ended as with a ring of pride, he answered, "Yus, an' .I'm' one of the Dardanelles 'crocs too.' I One of the Dardanelles heroes and still in The thick/ of the it optimistic of the result oil the Western Front and bent on making the most of the leave that had boon won by months of hard fighting. Already false friends had started him off in .the wrong direction, but a. glimpse of the brightly shining Red Triangle had brought" him back to the good old V.M.-.A.," and "mighty glad he was to be there." Tomin3 r 's case is typical of the thousand's; of soldiers from all parts of the Empire who daily und nightly encounter the allurements and snares of cosmopolitan London. And here 1 tho Y.M.C.A-. is doing as line a work as in the actual lighting y.ono. Soldiers are after' all very hn- . man; .thoy ara safest when thoy are busy, and during times of relaxation lire"apt to drift with the tide. SIGN OF THE "TRIANGLE. r Since tho war began -tire Red Triangle has become' the most familiar of safety signs along the- .stream^ of life; that" ceaselessly flow through this vast illusive, magnetic London. Sufficient was seen by a recent' writer during a fortnight 's leave to- make him' realise why "a distinguished stiftesmtn spoke of the V.M.C.A. xis '" one of the seven .' Avonde.rs . of the war." That was many months ago, and the war is j daily growing to bigger dimensions. 1 Every . c-cntrc' of population throughout ' the * Metropolis and the endless 'dm in of suburbs has its V.M.C.A. In'slitute with attractiv exterior and llu-nivc-like touches ihsidc ; near the big railway stations and, other places of I congested traffic are IjUmlv, Triangle; Bureaux — rest, places . by .'the wayside — where soldiers may read. or- Avritc or learn how to ilud their way about London.; and t places of interest are made accessible' daily to large parties . of soldiers under the guidance of ladies and elderly gentlemen: who arc* "doing their bit" as voluntary V.M.C.A. workers. . Most especially arc the women of, England playing a magnificent part in-almo'st every phase .of wartime work.

The commissioners who went to Englanu\niV-l\Fi-ance oii behalf of the Y.M.U.A.. .iv Ncav. Zealand have acted on the principle of providing the best i'or those who arc farthest away from home. They have succeeded in making Shakespeare Hut— headquarters for the New Zealand work— the most; attractive -V.M.C. A. soldiers' institute in all England. *The writer above quoted says: "We came to London through' country that ■was aglow with the touch of early spring— fields that a fortnight earlier had been under snow were deep in grass the matchless English •'tioes 'were donning their summer i leafage, the winding lanes were made picturesque' by 1 budding hedges and I'l-imoses by the million, and the fruit I trees blossomed massively: in token oi a bountiful yield. Truly a country worth fighting for.

"From Waterloo Station we were piloted by a V.M.C.A. officer through ,the' mysteries " of ' the Avohderf ul tube system of underground railways to that v busy part of London, Tottenham Court road, and. 'thence by a very short route to the Shakespeare Hut. IThe New Zealanders , are very proud kit theii* London headquarters. The men marched .en masse" from the static n, formed a queue past the booking office, and, having secured their beds, [were given advice, as to the best way I of. spending their four days' leave. Some went round, in, small groups with honorary guides, others went f on the | V.M.C.A. omnibus tour (seeing the : principal sights of London at a cqst of } 45),. and others' again went in search ■of family "friends.. Meanwhile the hut continued to be- tho lively rendezvous Jof soldiers from all parts of tho'Empits and of all branches of the service. Although ONew Zealand troops have preference^ they are by no means the oujy users of best luit in London! "

The ShakoSpearc Hut is adjacent to the British Museum and, stands on a spacious corner; -allotment valued at •not less thaii £70,000. Its iiso has been .granted by the Shakespeare So.c« , iety i'or tho term -of. the w_r a»<J ,a