COMFORT FUNDS

Otago Witness, Issue 3249, 21 June 1916, Page 33

COMFORT FUNDS

Y.M.C.A. WORK. Speaking to a reporter in Wellington. Mr W. H. George, who recently returned from Egypt, gave an account of the use to winch' speci.il funds aggregating £ISOO, specially subscribed by the Otago, North Otago, and Palmerston North Patriotic Societies, had been put. Mr said he was very pleased on teaching Egypt to note the care which the National Committee had taken to follow out the wishes of the contributing bodies that the money should be expended in comforts for the men, or in hutments and equipment, not in the ordinary Y.M.C.A. maintenance work for which the National Fund was raised. The money had been paid into a separate fund, and a special committee had been set up, including principal officers of the Y.M.C.A. National Council, with Mr Monteith Smith as chairman, and Mrs Studholmo. Mrs Bowen, Colonel Charters, and Mr Hay. It was proposed to send useful gifts to the men in the fcrt-ncb.es at Gallipoli, but transport could not be obtained. Though _ the committee was not told so at the time, th-j anticipated evacuation accounted for this. The result was that many of _ the men for whom the gifts were destined were back in Egypt or at other places away from the Peninsula by Christmas, and the Y.M.C.A. had a quantity of stores on its hands. A portion was distributed to men of the New Zealand Hide Brigade, 2nd Battalion, hi a camp near Alexandria, and a further quantity was to be sent to New Zoalandois in camp on the west frontier. But in this the committee was disappointed. " Just before leaving," continued Mr George, "wo heard that the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, who had been putting in some very hard work in the Canal zone, scouting and patrolling right away in the desert, had just come in from the outlying camps to a fresh camp at a place called Salhai. I happened to bo in Ismailia when this splendid body of men came across the canal and marched through Ismailia to Masear, a desert camp which had been recently occupied by the bulk of the New Zealand troops. They came into camp about 3 o'clock, and were all leaving again the next morning at 4 p.m. I went out to see them, and especially a nephew of mine who in the Wellington section, and I heard something of the very hard experiences that they had when out in the desert. On returning io Cairo I met their colonel, and suggested that we should send the balance of tnese comforts to the men in their new camp. He was delighted with the idea, and Mr Hay, one of our secretaries at Ezbokiak Gardens, went down to Alexandria and had the goods taken from store to Salhai. On arrival at Bombay I received the following cablegram from Mr Jessop, general secretary of the National Council: 'Hay distributed comforts Salhai amidst, great enthusiasm.' We have still some hundreds of pounds not yet disposed of from this fund. One reason why we have been husbanding this money has been that tho distribution of comforts under the Government by Colonel Green we had heard reported of on all sides as so satisfactory that there was not tho same call in Egypt for special distribution ns existed in Gallipoli at the time that Mr Jessop first visited tho war zone and reported to us the urgent need of the men for somo appcEising variety in their faro. Wo have, however, been using tho money carefully and efficiently wherever wo

have seen thaF it could bo put to good service for the men in other directions. For instance, wo have paid for several pianos, and we carried out a large extension in the Soldiers' Club at Ezbekiah Gardens. We also erected one or two huts, and now that several of our secretaries have gone to France wo have given each of them a sum of money to bo expended in any direction indicated. This expenditure we regard as giving more real and lasting pleasure to the men, and they are of the same opinion, than a distribution of cigarettes and small luxuries, which can bo purchased at reasonable prices." Air George gavo_ particulars of tho excellent work done Egypt by tho voluntary fielpers, lady visitors, and residents of Cairo, and of the assistance rendered tho ST.M.C.A. in the early davs by the Red Cross and the Australian Comforts Fund. Ezbekiah Gardens were secured in the first place, with the assistance of tho Australian Red Cross. Officers, chaplains, and ladies have Helped willingly. In arranging concert parties for the many camps, in helping at the Gardens (from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day in the week), tho ladies have rendered great service. "We cannot speak too highly of tho help that has been rendered in this direction by the volunteer sisters under Miss Rout. They have dono magnificent work. The men are delighted to see one of their own countrywomen instead of the usual native attendant."