"THE COMFORT SEEP."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19382, 17 July 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

"THE COMFORT SEEP."

EY ELSIE K. MORTON. Five weeks since the Comfort, Ship was commissioned, and the end of her voyaging not ev«»n in sight! What a splendid record for children's enterprise. Some of the parcels that came this week were addressed to the Relief Sh'.p, and I couldn't help thinking it was a very good name, for just as relief ships are sent out to givo succour to exploring expeditions, so our Comfort Ship has been the means of bringing hope and good cheer to many poor souls stranded and well-nigh shipwrecked in the stormy voyago of life. It looks as though the ship were going to bo kept in the running for quite a ■while longer. Nurse tells me this week that the distress in many poor homes is moro acute than ever, for there are still hundreds of men out of work, and to add to the troubles of these poor people, influenza is claiming fresh victims every day. Many children are ill with it, and the eood nurses are working harder than ever to meet all the calls that are being made on them. What they would have done without the ship, the say they cannot imagine. And the other social workers are saying the same thing, for you will be proud to know that our brigade is supplving clothing now not only for the St. John patients, but tor needy cases throughout Auckland. When word comes of a new baby and a poor mother unable to buy clothes for it, the social workers say immediately, " King up the Comfort Ship!" and nurse sends down to all told, bringing our total up to «SoU. So you will agree that it wasn t much ■wonder that there were only empty tables and empty cupboards when I went to the ambulance station this week. Not alt tne tables were empty. There was one with parcels of every size and shape—lJU all told, bringing our total up to Can You Send Blankets?

I want to make a special appeal this week for blankets. The have been a wonderful help, but nurse tells roe this week that she most urgently needs some blankets for her poor old fok and for the sick children. I wonder if any of those generous mothers and grannies could come to the rescue again, for blankets are rather big cargo for boys and girls of the brigade? We had two P airs in this week's cargo, and nurse took them to some of her little patients right away. Everywhere the ship calls there are smiles 'and grateful thanks these days. "I only wish the brigade could have a peep into one home this week when wo called," said nurse. "The father had been out of work for weeks, and t.ie baby was down with 'flu. I took her one of those pretty little cot-covers, some pink and blue singlets, and a woollen bonnet, and the mother simply broke down and cried when sho saw them* She had had such a hard time, and she was so touched to think that the children were showing such love and kindness for all those m trouble like herself." Now, dear boys and girls, could you, hope for any higher thanks and appreciation than were expressed in that poor mother's tears ? Cargo From a Lighthouse.

I think we must give pride of place this week to a fine parcel sent in from —you would never guess —Cape Brett Lighthouse! Away up there in the lonely lighthouse, buffetted by winter's storms and waves, kind hearts have been touched by tlis need of the children, and so a nice' paree.. together with a cheery letter, found its way down to the Comfort Ship. Another generous parcel also came from the girls of Smith and Caughey's maids' and children's workroom, containing a fine lot of boys' pants and underclothing. From Bruce, aged 9, who lives far away in the King Country backblocks, came a small parcel, and a kind wish that "the ship would soon be laden down to the gunwale!" I am sure we all hope she will, Bruce: Gwen, lives in another isolated, spot, sent in a pretty patchwork quilt, the first she has ever made, she says, and she offers to make another. Wei! done, Gwen! We will look out for the other with pleasure,. Also, please thank Baby Joan for the little donation from her money-box. Mary and Jessie tell me they unpicked their jerseys and knitted them up again, but if they hadn't told me, I should certainly have thought they were new! Another girlie, deeply interested in the ship, is Margaret, who became a membe** of the brigade last December. She sent a nice pair of cot blankets, and a number of useful garments. Noel and Roy sent in some cigarette albums, and Paulino worked a pretty coverlet. Grace offers to send a baby's petticoat) "if it would be of any use!" By all means, Grace . . and thank you for the other things. As he couldn't sew, Geoffrey went to his money-box and gave his -mother the money to buy some material and make a dress for a little girl, : and mother rosi to the occasion beautifully with two pretty frocks. And I must mention one more parcel, a dainty pussycat cot cover, from Barbara—just the thing! Other nice parcels were received from: Kathleen, Mokauiti; Donald and Eric, New Plymouth. A.jce and Jean Mackenzie, Tokomaru flay; Stella, Waitoa; Lorna, Birkenhead; Lilian, Epsom; Mrs. E. Miller; Pauline, Taurangaj Ula, Havelock, Marlborough; Kathleen, Tokomaru Bay; Brownie. Napier; Dorothy and Gweneth, Turua: Myrtle, Springdale; a Grannie, Bombay; Aggie and Glad, Snnnv Nelson"; two nice parcels from Mrs. Fuller, and a fine sackful of clothing from the people of Te Kore. Only one word of direction this week, boys and girls—be sure and write your names on a piece of paper and piq it securely inside. Names pencilled on the outside of tho parcel are not nearly so readily seen. Am' remember that the -list is made up each Tuesday, so if you send your parcel Thursday or Friday, £ , b . e . surprised if it is not acknowie«£ed the same week. Woekes,^^ ,w"doW's t Mit6° an Blomfield - Whacgaparoa; R P q lC W!i fro ™ Mr a- Shearwood and Mrs Sid Jessie HeSd 8 & and children's wor/rool Smif'n rnaida ; Oaughey s; Brownie Armstrom'v., ?tld Walter; Billy Congalton. CambndtreBsynton (2 parcels); Sheila Campbell" C„ nl bridge; F. Dornauf. Eltha™. a -i? m ' Alex- Irvine; Oiire Bishop' Cnrnh°*i er; Lorna Vipon. Birkenhead; Betty; Kancy Dahm, Wairoa; Mrs. Fuller, Glasgow Ter race (2 parcels,); Muriel RoW.sSn?°Coat£ 7i A -"" l an Peacocks, Lpsom- Stella nm) Myrtle McLeod, Waitoa; R O Morcan Pearl Ljneham Arapito. Westport ; Kathleen Hollever. Tokomaru Bay; Ruth Hill Buckland; Mother"; a Taknrmrta r family; Pauline, Noel and iLy tSm Tauranga; Sympathy Masterton; Margaret Hargreaves, Batloy; Joan Hr/bson, "Waipukurau Hawkes Bay: Stella Insuli; Pauline Taylor, Tauranga; James Johansen. Sprir."dale; Maurice Ruge, Cambridge; RavW-i) lace, Ie Aroha; Albert and Pat Cuff A.iapum: Dons and Jean Bond, Ti Tree Point; Gera dine Kennedy. Waamarama"; Patricia and Terence Nelson, Matau, Inglewood- Otway Lonergan Te Pahu; Merry Widow; Pansy Patrol. St John's Girl Guides. Pon??i nb o : ll Sr & I lb T H an ,™ond, Turakina; (jla Smith, Havelock. Marlborough- Rona'd Peter and Baby Mayola, Matamata'; Hester,' Una and Peter Hernck Tauiane, Hawkes Bay; Barbara Gates, Tokomaru Bay Enid Coleman. Dargaviile; Ruby Bishop. Pakota-' • W ell-wisher, Ivgaruawahia; Donald and Eric Brash, Aew Plymouth; Mrs. Geo Finn Pirongia; Aileen: Geoffrey. Papatoetoe'Douglas JSeilson, Taumaranui; Dorothy and Gweneth Zeigler, Turua; A Grannie, "Be,nbay; Kathleen Bowering, Mokauili; ' : King, Ana: Mrs Ales Wilson, Pukerr,a • Aggie and Glad, Aelson; Betty Wright, WaiJsohu, Gisbonre; Grace Brook. Okato, js e vPlymouth; Barnaigh, Pukekohe; Roie * n .„i .Esme; Hazel Pettit, Kelburn, Wellington • 'Gwenda, Ma taniata; Catherine, Marie * - Selwyn Webb; Ethel Tapp, Pukekohe- 4; Mason, Westport; Leonard Johnston Net. tea; A Friend, Onehunga; Nacy Rew.'Berne Bay; Alice and Jean Mackenzie, Wainn Station, Tokomaru Bay (2 parcels - Mrs E Miller, Waitakaro, Tokomaru Bay- M rs ' Crabb, Levin; . Mollie Durrani, Tuakau'Joan and Dulcie Sisam, Taneatua; Joan Hohson, Waipukurau; Joan and Gwen Blomfieid, Whansaparoa; Mrs. Geo. Ovens, MataJwhe; two large parcels from Waitoa.