COMFORTS FOR TROOPS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 10 December 1940, Page 3

COMFORTS FOR TROOPS

PROCEDURE FOLLOWED IN ENGLAND COLONEL WAITE'S LETTER [United Press Association] WELLINGTON, This Day. The procedure being followed in England to distribute comforts and generally provide for the welfare of the men of the New Zealand fighting forces is sketched by LieutenantColonel F. Waite. M.L.C.. overseas commissioner for the National Patriotic Fund Board, in a letter which Mr G. A. Hayden, secretary of the board, has received from him. He mentions also some of the difficulties that have to be faced as the result of enemy action. In the discharge of his duties he points out that he has adopted as his guiding rules: (1) The safeguarding of the people who have found the money for the troops: and (2) ' the importance of seeing that the soldiers, sailors and airmen benefit from it. 1 “Enemy action has slowed down many things.” Colonel Waite says. “Telephones are vei-y unreliable, and one has often to walk many miles to get a thing finalised. And. having got there, it is quite often the case to find that the person one wants has been ‘blitzed’ and is not at home.” Colonel Waite has decentralised as far as possible the provision of comforts and so on for the New Zealand forces. He mentions that the Y.M.C.A. under Mr Shove is looking after all the comforts, entertainments, etc., and that the brigade or echelon committee is spending a great deal on sports equipment. “We • simply have to do this.” he says, “to relieve the boredom of waiting for the Hun. But it is money well spent. I have purchased about £2OOO worth of equipment—jerseys, knickers, socks and boots —for the Middle East. Much other sporting material has now gone out—boxing, hockey, etc. The ■New Zealand War Services’ Association has agreed to put its £SOOO at the disposal of the New Zealand Forces Club, which is doing great work for all on leave in London.” The letter refers to assistance given tc the victims of attacks on Ramsgate. “Mr Jordan. High Commissioner for New Zealand in the United Kingdom, Dr. Gillies, representing the Oi'der of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society, and I,” the letter proceeds, “went to Ramsgate and we decided to give them £IOO out of our Red Cross Fund. London gets all the limelight, and all the money. Some southern sea coast towns have also suffered.” With Brigadier J. Hargest he had visited the New Zealand Forestry units, which were in an isolated part, and they had given them a regimental fund of £2OO. Altogether much useful work had been done. “While we look after all men. sick and wounded, my chief aim is to keep the men fit who are fit.” he rdded. “Changes take place so freuuently that we are often forced to do the same thing over and over again. The hotel 1 stayed in lost all its windows by blasts; so has the New Zealand Forces Club.” Colonel Waite served in the last war and won the D.S.O. at Gallipoli. He is the author of “The New Zealanders at Gallipoli,” the first volume of the official war history. Since his arrival in England he has given welcome assistance to Mr Jofdan. He is described by the London “Evening News” as discerning, shrewd, witty and popular.