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ON A TROOPSHIP

LONG AND TEDIOUS. VOYAGE. LOOKING AFTER THE SOLDIERS. Tho Rev. A. J. Scamer writes in the following'interesting strain from "At Sea— Noaring Destination, Juno 9," to the secretary of tho Otago Patriotic Association: — 'Wo have had a long and somewhat uneventful trip. Yet I do not think it has boon monotonous, for every dav and almost every evening has been full of work and recreation and entertainment. Our brass band (just a scratch one which I got the Jwys to put in 2s 6d for, and I made tip tho balanco, and bought 26 instruments just before we loft; wo call it 'The Halfcrown BAnd') has boon a groat success, and all agree that wo have had 10 times our money's worth out of it. We also got up a scratch prchestra, a glee party, a double quartet, a ' ragtime party,' etc., etc., and carefully prospected for talent, with tho result that we have been able to run two set concerts per week, and. one, sometimes two, sports meetings per week, with heats of various kinds to get off each evening after parade. Our friends rallied well to us boforo we left, and probably no troopship oyer left Now Zealand with more gifts a hoard. Yet we havo not had too much, and I have found pressing need for the expenditure at ports of- call of all I had in hand for tho boys. "Let mo say just here, however, that a great deal better organisation is desirable, and tho organisation and placing on board of gifts should be arranged by returned business me_ri through I K' shed. Through tho courtesy of the 'K' shed officials wo were able to sort and check our stuff, and then spend the cash gifts on things' that were lacking. The jT.M.C.A. came out splendidly, and supplied us with a big list of things—they allowed mo anvthin" we needed up to £50—and I am pure will do so wherever there is a reliable person to look after their gifts. Some troopships on winch thero was no Y.jM.C.A. secretary had, however, got away with practically nothing of any value, as I told you previously. The Auckland ladies sent a box ° -/ a i neS ' tho Mayoress of Wellington said that the Dunedin ladies always did the same, but we got no games, etc., from Dunedin ladies. We had the pleasure of distributing small kits to all Dunodin and Southland men (gifts from Dunodin ladies), and other troopships in our convov are in the same position. The Wellington and Lhnstchurcli ladies supplied us with Alb of cake per man.

The Red Cross gifts for tho hospital were good, but not in sufficient quantity for such a large ship and such a long voyage. Concerning somo of those supplies, one cannot but wonder if our good! folk over got down to figures. "I remember early in my active service as a combatant sonic worthy people at a port gave ua a lot of small apples. a,ud remarked that there was such a large quantity that they were sure our men would be able to have a groat feast. Tlio apples worked out at about a mouthful per man Wo appreciated the spirit of tho donors ail tho same, and doubtless they individually had dono all they could* "It is the same in Now Zealand now. Generous •t „ ar ?T to 0 fcrund a t every turn, and if all New Zealand was organised every troopship could leave New Zealand properly equipped for this long and tedious voyage, than which the men will never have a greater test of their buoyancy of spirit. Even with our £200 worth of gifts, one might say, as ono of our committoo said when wo got down to the problem of storage and, distribution. "What axe thoy amongst so many?" But it is recognised on all hands that our gifts havo enabled us to koep up buoyancy of spirit, and the medical officers and O.C.'s acknowledge that tho social side of our work has done as much as anything else toward landin[- « lr men in England fit for then- duties. The Otago £25 grant to mo was spent as follows:—-At Wellington—second-hand set of bagpipes, £3 3s; at Capetown—cigarettes for ship's hospital, £3; gramophone records, £5 6s: at Sierra Leone—writing paper, £5 (the canteen and gift paper had all been usedV, fruit for ship's hospital, £4; biscuits for ship's hospital, £2- cigarettes, 17s . sww ts. £1 13s 6d. We had Influenza right through' tho ship, and the hospital' -was crowded. Tlio fruitr-limes, pineapples, and bananas—was a Godsend to the sick rne-n. "Of course, I spent a lot more than the above at the ports of call on rcquisitios, but tho above shows how your £25 grant wont. . "N.B.—We gave a very successful concert m the City Hall, Capetown. Every item was encored. Tho proceeds wore devoted to the funds of tho Capetown Patriotic Committee. The Capo folk wero very hospitable."

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19170811.2.13

Bibliographic details

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17080, 11 August 1917, Page 5

Word Count
829

ON A TROOPSHIP Otago Daily Times, Issue 17080, 11 August 1917, Page 5

ON A TROOPSHIP Otago Daily Times, Issue 17080, 11 August 1917, Page 5

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