GIFTS FOR THE TROOPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15834, 3 February 1915, Page 8

GIFTS FOR THE TROOPS.

THE WORK IN LONDON. WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION. [from OUR own correspondent.] London, December 22. A card of greeting has been sent by the War Contingent Association to the members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt. The front of the card is embellished with the flags of the Allied nations, special prominence being given to the New Zealand flag. Inside are given the names of the committee and the objects of the association, together with the words : " The- members of the New Zealand War Contingent Association send you hearty greetings and wish you the best of good luck for 1915. The envelope in which the card is sent has a striking representation of the New Zealand flag on its flap.

An eye-witness at Bulford on the occasion of the departure of the British section of the New Zealand force, tells me that the Canadians gave them an excellent send-off, providing an escort of about 1000 men and two bands. The New Zealanders marched right through * the main camps and everywhere were chared to the echo. While passing some of the Canadian camps the men put their caps on their rifles and gave three cheers for tbeir New Zealand brothers in arms. The New Zealanders, of course, responded in a hearty manner The Ladies' Committee. Miss Mackenzie, the hon. secretary of the Ladies' Committee, has been kept very busily employed dealing with all the gifts that have come from the Dominion for distribution among the Belgian refugees and the poor of Great Britain. In all, 250 cases have been received from different towns in New Zealand. From Dunedin there came one hundred cases of clothing, and from Invercargil fifteen cases, while other towns have sent blankets, mutton, flour, wheat, barley cheese and eggs. The distribution of all these gifts has meant threat deal of hard and discriminating work- And it has been supervised by Mi.u Mackenzie and her committee. Some of the gifts of food have been given to the National Food Fund, others have been distributed in the poor parishes of the East End, and the large provincial towns have not been overlooked, while the Church \rmv the Salvation Army, the Friends of the Poor, and the Soldiers' and Sailors' A, sociation have also been chosen 'for channels of distribution. A small subcommittee has been formed to deal with the distribution of the goods sen for tin poor of England Lord Plunket is chairman. and the other members are the Hi-', Commissioner, Lady Emmott, tho Countess of Hardw.eke, Mrs. Leo Mvers, and Miss Mackenzie. The proprietors of several London newspapers and magazine* have given the committee a large manberof copies for tho use of the taooM m Egypt and this also means a certain fTthe mar" * «*«* **<*

Encouraging reports have been received from Mrs. Walter Young, hon. secretary and Mrs. Join, Hope, president, of the Scottish branch, of the work being a" complished in Edinburgh, and Scotland generally, and it is evident that the lXs there have the objects of tho association very much at heart.

The Sewing Committer, who used to meet at the headquarters of the League of Empire. Buckingham Gate, are now installed in very comfortable quarters at Harrod. Store,, lent b v th, « well-known firm; and they are still very busily engaged with the supply of comfort's for tho troops. The Ivies' Committee hope that their friends in New Zealand will continue to send as many coniform a* possible, and especially sock-; for dis tribution among the New Zealand troops It should he remembered that the leadnig New Zealand steamship rompnme' have promised to bring, free of freight any parcels consigned from New Zealand to the London Committee The shipping companies are also bringing the object* of the association to the notice of the passengers on board their chips. The Record Office. Mr. T. E. Donne's office ai 13. Victoria Street, has assumed the appearance of a small post office, thousands of letters and parcels having been sent from X ew Zealand for the soldiers, in addition to inanv hundreds from this country All these havo now to be forwarded to Egypt At the request of Mr. and Mrs. George Beet ham, Mr. T. E. Donne undertook the business part of the arrangements in the purchase of the motor-ambulance which they have given to the expeditionary force. The ambulance was built to order and can take four patients ; a special feature about tin car is that a hot water service has been laid on, and there is also a tank of cold water. There are the usual blankets, pillows, bolsters for making the invalids comfortable, and a full supply of nursing appliances. The ambulance is quite the last word in all respects, and accompanied the British section to Egypt. The subscriptions received by .Mr. E M. Kennawiy, the hon. treasurer of the War Association, now amount to £5936.