CLOTHES FOR THE OVERSEAS POOR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 218, 19 October 1914, Page 8

CLOTHES FOR THE OVERSEAS POOR.

CLOSING DAY AT THE DEPOT.

The women who some weeks ago formed themselves into a committee to assist in clothing the poor of Great Britain, Ireland, and Belgium, are experiencing a strenuous time to-day, for this is the appointed date for closing the depot. Visitors to the depot to-day find the passage-way leading to the rooms lined with huge packing cases, some filled and ready for transport, some being packed and made ready. In the two rooms which comprise the depot were still, when the writer was round there to-day, stacks of clothing, boots and shoes, quilts," blankets, and hats—and still the parcels flowed in and added more to the collection. The goods reached from floor to ceiling, and just a small space was reserved in the centre of one of the rooms for a table, at which one of the committee sat and steadily made records of, all that came in. This was at half-past ten in the morning. "By the afternoon," cheerfully said the president, Mrs Beauchamp Lane, "we expect to be covered with clothes.'' And certainly the tidal wave of garments, etc., threatened to swamp that band of willing and energetic workers at any moment. Altogether, the depot will be responsible for 124 large cases of goods, the minimum value being £2O per case. The contents of some of them have a much higher value set upon them. At the depot this morning there was one huge case packed entirely with children's clothes, of which the packer estimated the value to be not less than £2OO. All the garments were new, and of splendid quality. There were warm knitted things for tiny babies, trim navy serge skirts and jerseys to match for school girls, suits for boys, "and so on. Cases aggregating fifteen tons have already been sent away to the Old Country, and it is expected that a further instalment will be sent before long. The committee are extremely grateful for all the help they have received, both from town and -country. They have achieved a splendid result, but even their energy and self-sacrifice would have failed to compass it without the loyal help and co-operation which they have received on all sides. Numerous little instances of the universal desire to do something for the brave Belgians have come under their notice daily. For instance, two of the employees of Strange and Co. gave up their last Saturday afternoon half-holi-day to come and pack the goods which the committee had in readiness. The spirit of unity which is at present -animating the British Empire, even to the furthest outposts, is evidenced by just such little things.