DOMINION STOCKING LEAGUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19316, 31 October 1924, Page 5

DOMINION STOCKING LEAGUE.

ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF GARMENTS

The annual exhibition of the garments manufactured by the members of the Dominion Stoking League was held yesterday afternoon in thelianovor Street Baptist Church Halli The exhibition once more went to show the wonderful array of useful garments which can be manufactured from cast-off stockings, singlets, etc., and to give an excellent idea of the selfsacrificing work of tho women of the league. Included in the exhibition were the garments made by the Canterbury Womcns' Club, the Ngaio Club (Wellington), and the Invercargill branch. All the garments are packed in Dunodin and sent on from here to London Mr ./. J. Clark, who presided, said that last year, as usual, the garments had been forwarded to the Agent-general, and had bee'n distributed by him among several of the philanthropic instutions working in the greatj city of London and the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's families associations. They had received sheaves of letters from these organisations, in which the writers expressed their great debt of gratitude and their appreciation of what, had been done. The speaker read extracts from some of the letters. ISir James Allen wrote expressing appreciation of the work of the league and his personal appreciation of the honour of being allowed to distribute the gifts. They formed a very warm link between tho Homeland and their far outpost of Empire. —(Applause.) Mrs J. J. Clark, president of the league, welcomed the Rev. Dr Merrington and Mrs Merrington to the meeting, and remarked on the fact, that the visitors who had never previously attended an exhibition had been most agreeably surprised at the quality, usefulness, and variety of the garments manufactured. She thanked tjia Hanover street people for the free use of tho hall, with lighting, etc., during the winter months. The league was quite undencminationl in its work, and it appreciated the assistance of the church and also its obliging caretaker She- had also Jo thank a number of city firms for gifts and assistance in packing the garments, and Mr S. Slyohe, of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, and Mr IT. C. Campbell for arranging for the free transport.—(Applause.) The total expenditure by the league was only some £lO, and this was incurred in purchasing trimmings for the garments and other small incidental costs. The speaker paid a tribute to the women workers of the league, and remarked that Mrs Valentine had herself made over 100 garments. Miss Mirams, their cecretary, had done a Vest amount of work, and was really one of the chief mainstays of the league. Mrs Clark said she would really have liked to have mentioned the names of all their workers for the good work they had done for the league.—(Applause.) Dr Merrington said it had been reserved for Dunedin to give his wife and himself a revelation of tho by-products of the commonplace—the transfiguration of the castoff stocking. —(Applause.) He had had a very hazy idea, of the work of the league when he had been asked to be present to open the exhibition, but he now realised that it was a far more wonderful thing than the average person realised. It was in a true spirit of love and service that they were sending these garments Home for the children of the poor. As they looked at the wonderful things made out of cast-off stockings they could not have imagined such useful garment., could have been manufactured. They could, he was sure, visualise the joy of the children who received these gifts and the pleasure they gave them. The workers rroust be encouraged in their self-imposed task by the joy they were bringing to the children, and the manner in which the gifts were packed and shipped showed not only philanthropic effort but a business-like capacity by, the league. He hoped the members 'of the league wduld long continue in their good work. —(Applause.) He had much pleasure in declaring the exhibition open.—(Applause.)