GISBORNE'S GENEROSITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15833, 2 February 1915, Page 7

GISBORNE'S GENEROSITY.

TWENTY CASES OF CLOTHING. [BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN CORRKSPONDEXT.] Gisborvf.. Monday. Of the 20 cases of clothing from Gisborne which were on board the s.s. Tokomaru, 17 were shipped by the Gisborne Women's Patriotic Committee, and tnree jt the Waipiro Bay Women's Committee. They contained men's, women's, and children's clothing intended for the Belgian refugees. Some of the articles were donated by the residents, but fully twothirds were quite new. Although the Gisborne cases were insured for £200 in the New Zealand office, this was nothing like the value of the goods. Amongst the cargo of meat on the vessels were 673 carcases of mutton, which were part of the meat donated by the farmers in the district for the relief of distress in Great Britain caused by the war This meat was insured for £860.

MEAT FOR BRITISH ARMY.

SHIPMENT FROM AUCKLAND

The fact that the steamer was carrying large consignments of beef for the British Army in France explains ber presence in the vicinity of Havre. Nearly two-thirds of the beef included in the vessel's cargo was shipped by the firm of \V. and R. Fletcher, Limited, as the first supply in the terms of its contract with the Imperial authorities for the delivery of 600 tons of beef monthly to the Continent.

The consignments comprised 1409qrs from Auckland, 5584qrs from WTiangarei. and 2829qrs from Wellington. The balance of the cargo loaded at Whangarei was 485qrs of cow and heifer beef. 70 casks of tallow, and 590 parcels of offal for the London market.

The contract beef was loaded for discharge at a port in France to be named by the contracting firm's principals in London. Messrs. Vestey Bros., the arrangements being that instructions should be communicated to the master of the Tokomaru on arrival at Teneriffe advising him to proceed either to Havre or Bordeaux. Apparently Havre was selected as the port for discharge. The contract consignments of beef were covered by insurance arranged in London.

GIFTS FROM AUCKLAND

NOT ABOARD TOKOMARU

Fearing that the Tokomaru carried Auckland gifts for distressed Belgians, Mr. Robert Burns, Acting-Consul for Belgium, yesterday telegraphed to the Prime Minister asking if any of Auckland's contributions had been transhipped to the ill-fated steamer. Mr. Massey replied : " Very glad to inform you that none of Auckland's gifts of clothing to Belgians was on board the Tokomaru."

Mr- Bums stated that Auckland's contributions were insured for £10.000. and the risk was distributed over seven local offices, all of which had done the underwriting free of charge.