FOR THE WOUNDED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16916, 31 January 1917, Page 8

FOR THE WOUNDED

THE WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCTA • TION'S WORK.

From a Special CounEsroxDENT.)

LONDON, December 18. Porhaps there arc lii.UuO Now Zealand troops an England to-day, including tho sick in hospitals uud the fit men unci reinforcements in camp. ' So it can bo imagined the m- f-' 0Ilti "o ( -'-nl' Association, wtucli is tho olhcial wella.ro organisation for tlio uni.it, has its hauds full arranging for tho Christmas entertainment of thorn nil. A committee of tho association was set up for the purpose, and it had no difficulty in one or two cases in devolving the bulk of tho work on to tho local committees, which aro nioro or loss permanent bodies. in some of tho camps Micro are most, capable committees, whoso talent runs even to tho length of pantomime; and whoro this is so, tho association merejy pays over the per capita appropriation for Christmas festivity. Cod ford, Broekenhurst, and Walton all come under tin's head, accounting for perhaps 3500 men. Hornchurch, tho Convalescent Hospital near London, is in a different category. Unt.il recently there were, many Stair' changes here, and thero does' not seem to have boon a particularly successful organisation of local talent, so tho association has lately paid a great deal of attention to this important camp. It is hero that the committee, of which Lady liardwicke is chairman, is devoting most of its attention. And here, as elsewhere, a whole, day's , entertainment was provided, winding up with a pantomime in tho evening. The New Zealand soldiers { display an oxtraordinary amount of- talent., and have astonished British audiences again and again by providing the whole of the programme and fitting- up the hall and scenery with their own hands. Miss Rosemary Rees, the well-known New Zealand actress, is in general charge of the entertainments for all the camps. Mrs Leslie Harris and Miss Mackenzie are the membere of the committee. , ONE MORE DANCE.

The Christmas at the Reinforcement Camp at Sling is entirely in tho hands of the military, but the War 'Contingent Association has a considerable problem to deal with ,in- the entertainment of the men who happen to be on leavo in London. Estimates of numbers in war time are rather tricky. Until a 'ate hour it was not known whether the War Office "would permit leave or not. Then it became quite certain that a few lmndred men would be in London at a loose-end, for all the hospitals devoted Christmas lo entertaining their patients, and rarely receive visitors. A separate committee- was accordingly set up (with Mr Moss Davis as chairman) to arrango that these men should have a Christmas as well as tho others. A monster Christmas dinner was decided upon, with a concert in the afternoon, breaking up just about six. But it looked too soft a thing (for the ihotels c and the harpies) to throw on the dreary streets of London for an idle evening such a swarm of homeless and unoccupied men. It was idlo to ignoro tho possibilities of such an arrangement, and tho committee decided that something must be done for tho evening too. Obviously a dance was the best way to pass the evening. But what about girls? Strange to say, in these manloss days one of the most difficult tasks is to find a sufficiency of girls for soldier dances. There are so few of the fair sex whose time is not fully occupied in war work. But Mrs Empson and some others undertook to find partners, and in the week or two before Christmas they , are canvassing every possible New Zealand girl w'thin a radius of London. The Christmas Day programme has accordingly been extended to keep the men entertained for Oho whole evening.

W.ORDS OF APPRECIATION. Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward paid a second visit to the rooms of tho War Contingent Association the other day at the invitation of the executive, to hear a statement on the work and to see something of the system under which it is carried out. The High Commissioner and Mr Andrew Fisher (High Commissioner for Australia) were also present. Lord Plunket, who was m the chair, read a brief statement outlining tho widesprcading activities of the association. Mr Massey said he was well aware of thc_ extent and importance of tho work, of which ho had heard from soldiers both hero and in Franco. On all sides there was nothing but praise of it Ho promised, that he would have printed as a white'paper the statement Lord Plunkot had read. Sir Joseph War spoke in similar terms He was satisfied the funds at the disposal of the association were .economically martaged, and the cost of administration was very moderate He was sure the Parliament ofNew Zealand would see that the association got what money it required. In this connection it may bo stated that tho whole of tlio associations visitors—numbering more than 100-are voluntary, and practically the whole of the heavy office work is also honor- •■ J or % completeness.of tho hospital visiting, Mr Massoy was delighted to meet, as far away as Belfast, a lady who on benalf of the association was looking after the few New Zealand wounded in hospital RED CROSS GIFTS. . Since August the New Zealand War Contingent Association has had consigned to it from New Zealand 584 cases of Red Cross goods v.-h IC h came direct by passenger or 1r rgO J^ m nl a .? cases b ? Government transports. Of tho former supply, 529 cases have already been disposed of either bv being sent to various New Zealand military hospitals or unpacked and distributed as required; and only 55 cases remain in store. Iho War Contingent Association-has acted as receiving and distributing agent for all these goods, which have been disposed of after consultation with Miss Thurston', the matron-m-chief, N.Z.E.F. The War Contingent Association is also acting as fairy godmother to tho Laclv Liverpool Fimri β-ifts, which have lately been arriving m hundreds of tons. These consignments arc all checked and forwarded on, .and letters constantly arrivinir from tho units at the front show that *3i~v are reaching their destination and are thoroughly appreciated.