APPRECIATION OF THE WORK OF THE LADIES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14195, 12 January 1917, Page 9

APPRECIATION OF THE WORK OF THE LADIES.

■> 'fi!* 1 . .'-! . > Private Wilfred .--: Hou-tain 1 - writes as follows from the New .Zealand Command Depot, Codfbrd, Wiltshiria, England, under date, Novembetr 16, 1916 : — Sir, — I hope that through the medium of your paper you will, allow a soldier of the New Zealand Forces to thank the ladies of New Zealand for their innumerable kindness and goodness shown to the men who have'! thought it their duty to go forward and "protect the honor of their women aiid little children. 1 left . New Zealand . with the 'Main Body of the ' Wellington- West Coast' I ' Company, f rom . Marton. .^The -chief reason of my writing to youi' 'paperis because several of the boys^ are 'Writ-rig home stating that they are noti being treated properly by .the ladies.' V'W6M(7ih "t^ypt, ''while .W ,, w^r._. : 'th'_*e v ''*fre^ ; Mrs , De #«3ti*c , 'saTia sdver"al bthei'^New'-Zea- . land 1 ladies for the way ■ ifi ? wlrich they ilooked *. -*a.-tef" ; tlie ; welfare "of the ' New Zealand 1 "-boys' bothV :: 'in v hosrjlitaF'and convalescent homes, as well, as the men who were in traiiii'njg'.' htJ '.'■ Zeitoun. Mrs De .■Castrb and 'Ithe* 'other -iadib's lvorked very hlrird ; in- 'theV Ei<ibikiah Gai'dons' both' in thd SoldierK.' Club 4nd f Y.MiC.A. All through the terrible heat they work*c'd "oii 1 ' -%mplainirtg except f oi* theii* 'inability to do enough for the comfort of the'.bdys. Then'-w^on we came away to- Francs' the New Zfea'land'atid Australian 1 ladies' wfent ' off . j 'to .England and rstarted several^ 'buffets .and clubs in' "_>ondon and tts'j suburbs' -for New Zealand aud Australian boys vfrho were in England and, thaTie who might come oVtr from'Fi , anc.b , ' , o'i , i leave or *fl*ounded. ' YPhfe first* club 't'6 be opened irf London- was opened: And'' called "the .Anijjc '-'Buffety under the supervision" 'Of JNlrs •-. Andre\v,''Fiteher,'^the" Mife' of^ the .High* Commissioner; of ''Australia:* . " In this buffet- it' did' mot, -matter v a«,- l to what jtime you arrived in London' yo'u were al-i -ways made welcome there, and -with A good miealf . fried- of - charge; : and if you wished to go to a.theatt'e :you could obtain a free ticket from Mro Fisher; I'ben we had v another club opened at iHiornchurch^ and it was a Very nice! plade .alsO.. Then,.. w.e had aiVd'.her drub' opf-Jried" "aiid by the New ZeaK-Hd'. ladies ltf London. Of this club the ■ boys in general all speak 'wall "of the way in which they were treated. Down here in this camp ; we} .have*' a' hut run again by New Zealand ladies under the - supervision of Mr« Wilder, late of Poverty** Bay. In this" hut : the meri*;:can frbtairi -«, itt'eal for very reasonable - prices,, and the billiard room arid the music find cortcerts fire got up in the,t'VehhVgß7terv bftert. AH. 'through the 1 ladies' Have ' th'e b'he ' cry,' "We ai f e not •doirife' rtriOUgh'.fpr o;iti' boVs." ' Well, sil'i F 'Will ' '"libw lfeave . yOif 'and > your readers''- to il --j.ud'g*' aii ; td'*whether these ladies are doing their fair 'share .for ' us Ho' AV , ■"' -' J- j