NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9998, 15 June 1918, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS

PATRIOTIC EFFORT 7 WORK OF WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION. At a meeting of the executivo of tho New Zealand War Contingent Association, hold in London on March 21st, the annual statement of accounts was presented and adopted on the motion of Mr Coates, chairman of the finance committee. In seconding the motion Mr. I. W. Raymond, cliairman of tho executive, said :

"Unfortunately the optimism displayed in the early part of i»IV as H the iioisibiUty oi on early termination oi tins terrible ordeal of battle before tno expirv of the year aid not matunahse. Ax, tut present 'juncture it seems necessary for those responsioio lor t-U-o eilicient running, of this organisation to anticipate a continuance of theso activities until certainly well into the vear 1919. The past year has beeu one which has made very serious calls upon the patriotic organisations of New Zealand, also on the time of those connected with this association. By arrangements made with the authorities in 1317, the association was able to get into touch 'very early with patients received into hospitals in France, and letters were sent to each patient, asking what the association could do lor him. Accompanying the letter were tho usual shaving and toilet requisites. Efforts have also been made to do all that w as possible for tho men on leave from Franca and from the various camps. The association has had many letters from soldiers, expressing their warm thanks for the attention and kindness they have met with.

The oost of administration has very substantially increased as compared with preceding yeare, but this is only to be expected when it is realised that the original staff of voluntary workers could not give their services continuously free over such a lerigthy period. The difficulty of obtaining clerical assistance has also been acutely felt, as the competition of Government departments ant] industrial concerns for accountants and typists _is cxoeedinzlv keen. Few orennisations in thiscountrv have maintained a higher percentage of voluntary help than has this one. and tho paid staff is exceedingly efficient.

The clubs at the various hospitals continue to be of great use to the pati&nts. There they find reading, writing, qnd billiard rooms, recreation of various descriptions, and ara supplied with homecooked, appetising food of the best quality, at a price fully thirty per cent, less than what thev are charged elsewhere. Concerts and entortainments are given regularly once a week and during the summer a large number of boats are hired and placed at the disposal of the patients of the Number 2 General Hospital, Walton. Those afford the men great opportunity for relaxation, judgfrom the way in which they are always kept fnlly occupied. At Oatlands a considerable sum was expanded in the erection of workshops for the limbless, and it is very satisfactory to know titer a very largo number of those who have lost the use o? either an arm or a leg have been able to qualify for taking up some new sphere of

life, on their return to the Dominion. The work of the association has been considerably augmented during tie last few months, owinz to the establishment of New Zealand Red Cross depots at the various New Zealand military hospitals. This entailed the appointment of local representatives, and also the purchasing of considerable quantities of comforts, so the stocks under the various schedules agreed upon will always be on hand. Even-thincr points to the smooth runnine of this arrangement. In this connection tho policy of adopting schedules of comforts in -connection with tho supplies at hospitals, so as r,-v discriminate what came strictly under usual Bed Gross obligations and what were optional, hn& proved a decided success, and much simplified the administration. I should add, that as disclosed in the statement of accounts, the sum of .C30,.22 was received durirs? the year from the New Zealand Bed Cro«s, £]i.i~l is« from patriotic organisations, and .67900 from the Government. THE ASSOCIATION AND THE BiHD CROSS. There (its many.here a.nd in the Dominion who fail to appreciate the position of the \Var Contingent and the Red Cross, so it is necessary for me to make a brief explanation. After tho visit of Mr Bernard Tripp in 1916 and his return to the Dominion, Lord Liverpool, on November 27th, 1916, On behalf- of the Red Cross in New Zealand wrote appointing the association its ft.jsm.ts; a position that it gladly accepted, and has, as far as my knowledge goes, been most zealous and painstaking in discriminating between expenditure ou sick and wounded, and on well men, so as to give effect to the wishes of the resipective donors in the Dominion, Doth General Richardson", G.0.C., of the New Zealand Espe-ditionary Force in the United Kingdom, and Colonel Parkes, D. 11.5., have only recently expressed warm approval of the efficiency of the work of the organisation. Active Red Cross workers in the Dominion may feel that sufficient recognition had not been extended to their organisation in connection with remittances and comforts, but let me nay that monthly statements of expenditure and letters of interest were regularly dispatched to their central organisation in the Dominion. The B.ed Cross committee has not been oharged any proportion of the .&2-ICO which represents outlay in respect to rent, office salaries, and administrative expenses.

I desire to express my very grateful thanks to my colleagues on the executive and on the various committees for their splendid co-operation in the work of the administration. The year has been an exceedingly trying one, but thanks to the right spirit exhibited, the greatest harmony has prevailed among the members of the various committees. I fee.l we can all look back on the year's efforts, and . realise that valuable work has been done in the interests of the men. It will interest you to know that during the year about 40,000 men passed through the hands of the organisation. The policy has been to decentralize through sub-committees as much as possible. This system has worked remarkably well. There are, as you know, altogether, seven sub-committees, including the finance committee and the subfinance committee. The general, office staff comprise some fifty members. Then there- are a-bout i3O regular hospital visitors. At the canteen and clubs there are altogether some 70 members of. staff. The hospital visitors deserve a special word of praise for the way they v haye

carried out their duties in all weathers, and under very trying conditions of transport. But for their whole-hearted interest in the men, I cannot believe thoy could have maintained the sustained interest in the work that they have. The commandants in charge of the various clubs and recreation rooms and their staff have all rendered valuable help, and the men cannot return to the Dominion without a feeling that while they were in hospital those in charge of the canteens and recreation rooms <Jid their best to minister to their comforts. I have "refrained from mentioning names, as it is so difficult to do bo, when all have done their best, and that best collectively has contributed to maintain the good name that the New Zealand War Contingent Association established in 1914, and which it has since enjoyed "among the boys, wherever they may be. THE BALANCE-SHEET.

The balance-sheet showed receipts totalling £99,772 2s, including ,£23,231 17s lOd, balance of sundry funds account from previons year. Subscriptions, grant*, donation*, etc., per High Commissioner, totalled" .£22,466 4s 9d, tho

Red Cross account .€30,722 4s lid, and sundry receipts, subscriptions and donations (including English contributions) £21,040 Bs. On the expenditure side, the following items were included:— Administrative charges. .£4614 lls'Gdj comforts, etc., ,£16,781 19s 4d; E.F. canteens find Nurses' Rest, etc., maintenance, £14,103 15s; transfer to London committee New Zealand Red Cross, £21,965 13s Bd. The balance of sundry funds account was £6068 7s 2d.