MW ZEALAND WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3397, 23 April 1919, Page 38

MW ZEALAND WAR CONTINGENT ASSOCIATION.

A VERY SATISFACTORY REPORT.

LONDON, January 21.

At the last meeting of the Executive Committee of the New Zealand War Contingent Association Mr I. W. Raymond was in the chair, and those presont were: Lord Plunket, Sir James Mills, Sir Thomas Mackenzie, Colonel the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, Lady Hardwicke. C.8.E.. Mrs A. V. M'Donald, C.8.E., Mrs Empson, 0.8. E., Mrs Ritchie, Mrs Warren, Mr J. H. B. Coates, Mr R. D. D. M'Lcan, Mr R. M. Macdonald, Mr F. Waldegrave, Mr G. F. Gee, Mr E. M. Kennaway, Mr G. H. Scholefield, Mr R. H. Nolan, and Mr W. Acton Adams. DISPERSING THE CLUBS, v It was mentioned that the Clubs Committee was still serving a very useful purpose, and that the clubs were very popular with the men. During December over 11,000 men had been entertained by the Hospitality Committee. Mr Raymond mentioned, on behalf ot the Realisation Committee, that notices had been sent to the landlords at Torquay and Ewshot regarding termination of leases, and negotiations were proceeding to effect tha most advantageous compromise possible, ami Mr Phelps, the landlord of the War Contingent premises in London, had agreed ro a monthly tenancy from the Ist of July next. The committee had not been able to arrange a lease or purchase of the site of the Brockenhurst Club so as to secure the full price, therefore it was decided to accept the offer of £SOO made by the Higher Educational Committee for the building as it stood, while its contents are to be offered for auction. Tenders have been called for the purchase of the Mahutonga Club at Hornchurch, and negotiations are proceeding for the removal of the To Arohanui Club at Oatlands to Walton, as the Oatlands Auxiliary will be closed about the end of this month. The club at Bo'scombe does not belong to the War Contingent, but only the contents, and steps are being taken to dispose of these. Sir James Mills gave a cinema for the use of the N.Z.E. while they were stationed at Christohurch, and now that the Boscombe club room is being closed, this will probably be installed at Walton. The club at Ewshot will remain open as long as the military authorities desire. DEMOBILISATION OF STAFF. As regards the demobilisation of the staff of the War Contingent Association, the chairman has had prepared a list of the present workers and their length of service, and those who have been on duty longest have been asked if they are prepared to stay on until the last of the troops leave. Those who agree will have priority of employment, and New Zealanders will also have priority over paid workers. General Richardson agreed with the chairman's suggestion for the* free repatriation to the dominion of all workers who have given equal to a year's service.. , FOR THE VOYAGE HOME. After consultation with General Richardson in connection with the resolution passed at the meeting of the Hospitality Committee, it was considered that half a crown per man be ample to provide the schedule of.comforts suggested for men returning to New Zealand. This sum included a donation in cash to each O.C. to provide, say, £3O for prizes' and £2O for fruit for each transport. There were approximately 32,000 fit men to be repatriated, and the sum mentioned represented the total of £4OOO, or an average of £SOO a mon-uh spread over eight.months. The contingent had ample funds to carry out this work without making further appeal to the dominion. . . _ Thirty members of the association staff had already applied for uniforms, and there were several other permits to come in. Hat and shoulder badges were being given to those who purchased uniforms, and 125 badges had been distributed anions the members of the staff. CHRISTMAS DAY.

It w_as . generally considered that the Christmas Day entertainment was an unqualified success —certainly one of the best Christmas Days the men had had in London — ~i n({ everything passed off without a hitch. The cost per head was the reasonable amount of only 14s, and this provided Christmas dinner, concert, tea, dance, and supper The chairman and Mr R. Dv D. M'Lean went to Plymouth to see if there was any need to provide club accommodation there for men embarking from that port, but they decided that there was no necessity for it. It was estimated that after realisation of assets, when the payment of £ISOO was made for December and January, there would be sufficient money to carry on with until the end of June. It was left to the Finance Committee to examine the financial position and decide if it were deemed advisable to cable to the New Zealand Government to suspend remittances.