GIFTS FOE TROOPERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15884, 3 April 1915, Page 8

GIFTS FOE TROOPERS.

THE QUEEN'S THANKS.

LADY. LIVERPOOL'S PLAN. H

MORE COMFORTS WANTED. |

The following is acopv of a letter received by Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool from Her Xlajestv Queen Mary, dated from Buckingham' Palace London, January 22 last. The Countess of Liverpool has forwarded the ropy of Her Majesty's letter for publication, together with a letter which Her Excellency addresses to the women (if New Zealand The communication from Her Majesty the Queen reads as follows :—" Dear Lady Liverpool,—l have received, with feeling of great satisfaction, the generous gifts of socks and belts which vnu have so kindly sent me from the people of New Zealand whom I remember so well on the region of our memorable visit there in 1901 I heartily appreciate the ready response which has been made to my" appeal by all classes of the community throughout the Dominion, and I am deV.k toii-hed to hear that contributions have even he-n received from schools far awev in the back blocks. I would like to suggest that any further supplies vcui mav receive should be utilised for the benefit of the New Zealand expeditionary force, which is sure to be in need of fl |(h comfort.;. _ May ( I take this opportunity of expressing to'you my sincere gratitude for your very kind and valuable assistance. Believe me, vours verv siiucrelv (signed) Mary R." In her letter to the women of New Zealand, the Countess of Liverpool says : —"As a considerable time has now elapsed since the New Zealand troops landed in Egypt, I think we should soon endeavour to provide them with soma extra comforts, and I propose, therefore, to try and send each man of the expeditionary force two pairs of socks, and to despatch them in June, in order to allow time for people to work for this object. His Excellency has suggested that when the gifts are despatched he should telegraph to the officer commanding the force instructing him to take steps to see that the gifts are properly distributed, and also to send a reply saying how the contributions have been dealt with, so that I can advise all the committees. I should be glad if those committees, or anybody else who desires to assist me in" this suggestion, would ei...er send their contributions to me direct to Government House, Wellington, or to any of the centres which they have up to now been working with, for subsequent transmission to me.

" I should, further, be glad to hear from those people who intend sending their contributions to me before the gifts are actually despatched, to Government House, Wellington, in order that I may send a special label to identify them. Should anybody desire to send other gifts of clothing, I will endeavour to have them despatched at the game time. While desiring to encourage local efforts bv asking committees and individuals to assist in providing socks for the men of their own localities, I wish to make it clear that, should there not be sufficient socks available by next June to provide for every member of the New Zealand expeditionary force at present in Egypt, the deficiency will be made good by the purchase of the requisite number with money taken from the general fund.— (Signed) Annette Liverpool."