SERBIAN RELIEF FUND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3244, 17 May 1916, Page 51

SERBIAN RELIEF FUND.

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES LIST. Previously acknowledged ...£1374 5 7 Employees in Sargood, Son, and Eweu's warehouse ... 5 0 0 "J. IS". S." 0 10 0 Total ... £1379 15 7 Wo have received 10s from "J. N. S." for the Red Cross Fund. OTAGO WOMEN'S PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION. Arrangements for the tea room at the Winter Show are well in hand. All the net profits will be given _ to the association. Mrs Buttcrworth'e tulip garden entertainment will take place two or three weeks aft'-r the show. Already over 100 tulips are made. On Sunday fruit, sandwiches, and cako supplied by the City Council and the Patriotic Executive were sent on board the Willochra, and tin; Women's Association sent 30 giillons of milk, which was much appreciated by the men after their long voyage. A quantity of bed linen, pyjamas, etc., for the men on Quarantine Island has been forwarded. The association's stock al warm shirts, pyjamas, and undershirts is at a low ebb. and the women of Dunedin are asked to continue their good work in this respect. MIDDLES [A 1\ ( J R PATEIOTIC SOCIETY. A gratifying meeting of the Women's Patriotio Society was held on Saturday, and a great amount of work was _ passed _ in. A horse presented to the Patriotic Society bp Mr D. Fisher, and grazed gratuitously for the past year by Mr J. Elliott, was put up for auction at the- last stock sales, and

realised £6. Tho money was handed over to the Red Gross branch. WAIKOUAITI SOLDIERS' CONVALESCENT HUME. Tho following report has been received by the Ota go Soldiers' and Dependents' V\ eifare Committee from Mrs W. F. Edmond:—•" I took charge of the home from 13th. April till 27th, and was ably assisted by Miss Allan till Easter, and then by Miss Edmond. Thirteen men were constantly in residence, and thyr behaviour was excellent. Dr LytHe visits the home twice a week, and Captain Fleming, for the Defence Department, onco a week. Colonel Hope Lewis paid a visit of inspection on April 25. April 25. Many donations were received and are gratefully acknowledged. POUT CHALMEJBS PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION. The women of Port Chalmers met again as usual on Thursday afternoon and evening. They desire to thank tho people oi Port and the "surrounding districts for the hearty support accorded to them at the recent carnival. It was decided to hold a show of all departments of work on Thursday, May 25, when it is hoped to have a good attendance. Musical items will be given. Socks -are urgently required for tho dominion parcel, as well as for the equipment of our men. The sum of £3O was voted to the Belgian Relief Fund for the month of May, and £2 for Wellington Soldiers' Club (;cur months' subscription). OVERSEAS CLUB. Another busy week has been xsut in at the olub room, and in order to go on with the work more donations are necessary. The work of mending and packing for tho Belgians is never lost Sight of, and donations of money to purchase material for making up for our soldiers is urgently needed. The committee has sent away thousands of garments, m addition to hospital work, and local patriotic work. HORNTNGTON WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION. Several dozena of handkerchiefs and soap bags were cut and given out to be made for the reinforcements last week at the Mornington Council Chambers. A quantity of men's, women's, and children's warm clothing, boots and shoes was packed ready to be sent to the Early Settlers' Hall for the Russian prisoners and British and Belgian relief, also parcels of service and soap bags, holdalls, socks, balaclava caps, and scarves for the soldiers. The ladies of the Presbyterian Guild (per Mesdames Ford and Fyffe) are to be commended for their splendid month's work of making 133 service bags and 42 holdalls. Gifts of socks, balaclava caps and tea-towels for tho reinforcements, and clothing of all kinds for Belgian and British relief, and men's, women's, and childrcn"s boots and shoes will still he thankfully received. Balaclava caps are specially asked for, as they arc urgently needed. N.E. VALLEY WOMEN'S PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION. There was a good attendance of workers at both the afternoon and evening meetings on Thursday, and quite a large number of parcels were made up ready to be sent to the Early Settlers' Hall, including 23 pairs socks, 18 balaclavas, 2g dozen towels, 7£ dozen handkerchiefs, 1 dozen housewives, and 10 suits pyjamas. Red Cross Work: 2 autograph ejuilts, 238 bandages, 1 dozen pair hospital slippers, 7 fomentation cloths, and 2 boxes old linen. WORK OF THE RED CROSS. LETTERS OF APPRECIATION FROM EGYPTIAN HOSPITALS. Tho, two following letters have been received by tho secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association from Colonel Parkcs, officer commanding at the New Zealand General Hospital at Pont de Koubbeh. Cairo, and Colonel V. S. Smyth, com manoTant of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade: — Colonel Parkes writes: —"Please convey my best thanks to vour Red Cross branch for cases of hospital, clothing. The articles axe most useful, and your splendid gifts are much appreciated." ' Colonel Smyth says: " Convoy to all concerned very best thanks of lieutenant-gene-ral commanding for their continued interest in our troops, and their thoughtfulness in forwarding so many useful articles." The letters speak for themselves in tho way of showing the valuable work which is being done by the Red Cross branch of the St. John Ambulance Association. FEATHERSTON CAMP A PARLIAMENTARY VISIT. (From Ook Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May 15. The magnitude of the work of training soldiers undertaken by the defence authori ties was impressed upon a number of parliamentarians who, with their friends, vis.ted tho Featherston training camp today. Members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery to the number of a dozen made the journey from Wellington on the overnight troop train, with a view to seeing the men under routine conditions. Their desire was gratified, thanks to the solicitude of tho camp adjutant, wdio arranged that reveille should be sounded at 5.45 outside the jour nalists' windows. The effect was startling. Prom this auspicious beginning the hfo of the troops was thoroughly entered into and a very thorough glimpse obtained of the manner in which a camp of over 7000 men is conducted. The permanent camp lines are admirably laid out, and apparently attain the maximum of efficiency. This efficiency in many cases has had added an sesthetic touch in the way of amateur, but atlractive, decorations of whitewashed rows of stone, mosaic work, etc. After seeing the men at "gargle parade" and breakfast, the journal sts extended their observations to the dr.'il grounds, whore artillery squads were enthusiastically tackling the mysteries of gunnery, where infantry were weaving an intricate and ordered way through tho'tangles of company drill, and where isolated seclio-is were also at work on bayonet drill and in receiving special instruction in machine-gunnery. Several squadrons of mounted men were also drilling. " Canvastown," where 2000 nun of the I'ltliH are sottled, was also inspected. In summer time canvas is appreciated, but with the approach of winter rain will be apt to make the ,in"s very muddy, as formed roads have not been luid down.

The show piece of the camp, however, lies in a complete set of fire and support trenches, fully equipped -with telegraphic facilities, as used on the western front. Much interest; was taken in this feature, which was fully explained to tho visitors by the camp officers. Tho parliamentary train arrived before noon, and the visitors immediately proceeded to the parade ground, where the men —hor.se. foot, and pjuns— were drawn up for inspection, presenting a very martial appearance and performing their drill with exemplary promptitude. After lunch, which was hospitably provided in the Soldiers' Club, the visitors were all over the oairip. The weather was particularly favourable, and the large parly appreciated to the full the demonstrations of the work being done. The visiting pressmen had full liberty to mix with the men, and while it would be too much to say that among 7000 soldiers there are no men with a grievance, the consensus of opinion is that the camp is as near perfection as possible. The main grievance, from the men's point of view, is the distance from Wellington and the quality of the accommodation provided on the troop trains, this being particularly trying on the Rimutaka gradients. Altogether, however, the department and its responsible, officials mayfeel that in Feathcrston ' they have a camp which is a fit subject for pride. A KEEN FIGHTER. A good story of a keen old warrior comes from a town in tho "Wellington military district. An old-aae pensioner, aged 67 years, presented himself to tho recruiting officer, and by representing his age to be 44 "rot past tho medcal officer and the military authorities. lie sowed his training period in Trcntham, went away with the sth Reinforcements, and fought at Gallipoli until the evacuation. Recently, it is stated, the Old-age Pensions Department instructed that inquiries be made to ascertain why the pensioner had not been drawing his monthly instalments ! LETTER FROM THE FRONT. .From a letter received in Duncdin on Friday from an officer of tho Scottish Borderers at the front in Belgium we are permitted to make the following extract: " After having a glorious victory we took 200 prisoners. They were crying, and wanted to shake hands with us, and wishing the war was over, saying that the Germans were done." ENEMY FIRMS. WELLINGTON, May 10. A Gazette extra declaring certain firms to be enemies includes the names of Rhodins and Co. (Christehurch), the Continental G. and G. Rubber Company (Australia and New Zealand). GIFT AEROPLANES. SUGGESTION BY. MR MYERS. WELLINGTON, May 10. The Plon. A. M. Myers, Minister of Munitions, suggested at a meeting at Auckland recently that each important town should collect sufficient money to defray the cost of a dominion aeroplane, to bo presented to the Imperial authorities for incorporation with tho Royal Flying Corps. The Minister, who subsequently repeated the suggestion when Flight Lieutenant Brandon, a New Zealander, bombed a Zeppelin raider, is of opinion that air supremacy will be a vital factor in the final decision. The Auckland Aeroplane Fund Committee on Saturday received in cash and promises over £I2OO, and Mr Myers is providing the balance required for the purchase of an aeroplane. As Auckland is offering one through the Overseas Club on Empire Day, he (Mr Myers) has expressed his willingness to make a further contribution of £IOO to this fund. PRISONERS OF WAR. TWO MEN ARRESTED. PALMERSTON N., May 10. Two foreigners named I. Schack and A. Komashko, purporting to be Russian journalists traveling around the world on foot, and who were recently in Palmerston North, were arrested to-day in Levin under instructions from tho military authorities. Both the military and the police officials are extremely reticent regarding the matter, but startling developments are expected in a few days. It appears that the two men were travelling about the country ostensibly for the purpose ci gaining material for future articles in the Russian press. Though they had apparently bona fide passports, their action aroused the suspicions of the military authorities, who kept a watch on them. It appears that the men were seen near the Rangiotu camp, and spent the night, at a German's place near there. This confirmed the suspicions of the military authorities, with the result that the police were communicated with. The men were brought to the Palmerston Police Station, and were searched. The search did not reveal much of an apparent incriminating character, although a photograph found on one of the men bore the name of a Hamburg photographer. They will bo locked up pending the pleasure of the military authorities.