LADY LIVERPOOL FUND.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 491, 6 September 1915, Page 8

LADY LIVERPOOL FUND.

COMMITTEE MEETING. A meeting of the committee of the Lady Liverpool Fund was held in the Council Chambers this morning. The Mayoress (Mrs Holland) presided, the Mayor being also present, as well as the honorary secretary (Mrs Hilda Gilby), the honorary treasurer (Mr C. H. Gilby), and a large attendance of members. Mrs Holland, Mayoress, in an address to the meeting, said that it was just a little more than a year since she, as the president of the Lady Liverpool Fund, first had the pleasure of addressing them. "Since that time we, in common with all other parts of the British Empire, have been through the deep waters —how deep we in New Zealand could not accurately gauge till that eventful and glorious morning of April 25, when our gallant troops received their baptism of fire, and New Zealand rose in one flight to take her place in the sisterhood of nations. It behoves us women to bear our new dignity humbly, yet proudly, and though we all feel that we would like to be doing great deeds, as our sons and husbands are, our part is the quieter, less showy one of self-sacrifice and labour, for no 'matter how brave our soldiers, their bravery will avail them nothing unless they receive a solid, steadfast backing by those who are left at home. This I am assured the women of Canterbury are giving. "When first this fund was started, we had no „idea of how it was going to grow. It began first solely to work in Christchurch, but now all the outlying parts of the Canterbury Defence District are working, through Christchurch, as the chief military centre of Canterbury; the Liverpool Committees of Nelson, Blenheim, Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika now all regard this as the chief committee of the district, and forward all their donations, both in money and kind, through the medium of Christchurch. This simplifies the work of the "authorities at this end, and facilitates distribution at the other. The only centre that has not come in fully is Timaru, though Waimate and Geraldine have both done so, and I am not without hope ~of being able, at a later date, to congratulate you on the fact that our Timaru friends have decided to throw in their lot, and work with us, instead of independently, as at present, thus preventing inevitable overlapping. "It has been a very busy time for the ladies of the Depot Committee, to whom I wish to tender my sincere thanks for their loyalty and devotion durinng a very laborious and trying period. I cannot refrain from mentioning in this connection the great loss we have sustained there through the ill-health of both Mrs Mickle and Mrs Nicholls, who have been two of our most devoted workers during the earlier days of the fund'sl activities, and hope for their speedy j and complete restoration to perfect i health. "On July 21, 12(K-pairs of socks \ and bootlaces, buttons, etc., were sent to Trentham to Major Childs, for the Earl of Liverpool's Own. On July 23, equipment for 25 beds was sent to the Military Hospital Guild at Wellington for the sick at Trentham. On August 11, we sent to Mrs Luke, Wellington, for the use of the 6th Reinforcements on the troopships, two cases of cake, and a large quantity of books. By the same troopships were sent six cases for Lady Godley's Convalescent Hospital at Alexandria, and seven cases to the officer commanding New Zealand Divisional Train, at the Advance! Base, Alexandria, for distribution! among the Canterbury men. I have j had a communication from her Excellency announcing the arrival of these goods, and stating that they were being sent forward for distribution to the men. In the same shipjment were sent also four cases of I tuck boxes. These contained cakes, j puddings, sweets, chocolate, cigarettes, and other little luxuries. "In the list of goods sent away by this fund during the year were included 2000 pairs of socks for her Majesty Queen Mary's Fund, and 2000 cholera belts for the same fund, but with the exception of these two items, and one case of old linen, sent to New Zealanders in British hospitals through the Hon. R. H. Rhodes, all the goods enumerated went.direct to our own forces. I may mention in passing that since j our men have been on active service we have not busied ourselves so much in providing for the men in Trentham, unless specific cases are brought to our notice, which are always dealt with by the executive committee as soon as received. Our chief care has lately been for the men at the Dardanelles. "The chief work we have now in hand is providing leather waistcoals for the men for the coming winter campaign. The outlying districts have responded most generously towards this expense, and I think we may look upon the supply of these comforts, for which an appeal was made, as quite assured. I have been able to arrange with local firms for a supply on most advantageous terms. I may mention that in addition to most generous donations from all parts of Canterbury proper, we have received most substantial aid from Nelson, Blenheim, Westport, Kaikoura, Greymouth, and Hokitika. "In October I propose to send out to each Canterbury soldier a Christmas parcel, containing two pairs of socks, one pair of bootlaces, two handkerchiefs, soap, letterette or note-book, lead pencil, and any other little useful article which will pack well. We are also sending, with this consignment, tuck-boxes, comforts, sweets, cigarettes,-and other little Christmas luxuries, as well as clothing, such as shirts, singlets, caps,

scarves, and any other gifts that come in. The ladies working on the Depot Committee have already got these in hand, but it means no small amount of work to get 3500 parcels made up and packed in the cases.

"I am sorry to have to announce the resignation, from the Finance Committee, of Mrs Simms, who is leaving the district, and also of Mrs Smithson, who is going on the Depot I Committee. I will propose that Mrs | Neville, Mrs Way, and Miss Hey wood be elected members of the committee. The committee is greatly indebted to Mr Hargreaves, who has placed his services as packer at the disposal of the committee, and also to Messrs Neville, Gilby, and Sidney Holland for- similar valuable services. I have again to thank most I sincerely Mr Walter Hill for granting us the free use of a portion of his warehouse for the purposes of the depot." The articles sent to men from August 17, 1913, to August 11, 1915, were as follow:—Shirts 2861, balaclavas 3177, socks (inclusive of 2000 pairs sent to Queen Mary Fund) 17,406 pairs, holdalls 1757, housewives 2195, handkerchiefs 10,648, mufflers 934, cholera belts (inclusive of 2000 sent to Queen Mary fund) 3982, underpants 577, jerseys 384, singlets 611, mittens 67 pairs, blankets 71, books 19 sacks, cake 26301b, chocolate 4701b, fruit 21 cases, tuck boxes 9 cases, base and convalescent hospital equipment 14 cases, ambulance (brassards) 100, 5 full panniers, piano, gramophones, towels 151, pyjama suits 100, pillow cases 117, halters for horse 12, saddle and bridle 1, sleeping bag 1, boxes buttons 2, box bootlaces 1, Jeye's fluid 6 cases, canvas shoes 9 pairs. Equipment for 25 Beds Military Hospital, Trentham.—Sheets 100, pillowslips 100, drawsheets 50, pyjamas 50, nightshirts 50, day shirts 25, handkerchiefs 150, towels 75, slippers 25 pairs, bed socks 25, day socks 25, feeders 50, quilts 25. The balance-sheet for the year ending August 7 showed that the total receipts for the year amounted. to £2906 2/7, and donations for specific purposes to £l5O 2/-. Payments totalled £2047 2/5, leaving a sum of £6OO on deposit with tlie Christchurch City Council,, and a sum of £259 0/2. Interest accrued amounted to £9 14/3. Mr Gilby suggested that the committees who had sent in the donations specially earmarked be asked to liberate these amounts, so that they could be merged into the general fund. As an alternative, they could be asked to specify the special purposes for which these moneys should be used. The suggestion was adopted by the committee. Mrs Chilton, in moving the adoption of the report, spoke in most eulogistic terms of the work performed by Mr and Mrs C. H. Gilby as honorary secretary and treasurer respectively, and moved a hearty vote of thanks to them; also to Mrs Holland for her fine work as president. , •

Mrs Holland added a tribute to Mr and Mrs Gilby's work for the efficient and painstaking way, in which they had managed the clerical part of the fund, and the money they had been able to save the fund in this way.

Mr Gilby, in acknowledging the vote of thanks, on behalf of his wife and himself said that he hoped that the committee would be able to make arrangements to relieve them of the work, which was getting beyond them, considering the way in which their time was already occupied. Mrs Holland said she quite realised the position, and if Mr and Mrs Gilby could not be utterly relieved of their duties, the committee would have to do all that they could to assist themMrs Holland read a letter from the Manawatu Patriotic Committee, in which they said they had received a letter from Colonel Fulton, asking for assistance in liquidating a debt of £2OO, due on band instruments purchased by his regiment while in Wellington. The secretary stated that this regiment was composed of men from all over New Zealand, and asked the assistance of the Lady Liverpool Committee. ,„ The Mayor said that the idea of providing men with band instruments that must be thrown away when -the men got to the front did not commend itself to him, but if the instruments were to remain in New Zealand, to form a camp band, he would be in favour of making a donation. It was decided to vote a sum of providing that the instruments remained in New Zealand.

The Mayor stated that the G.D.G. had arranged to convert a building in Hereford Street into a Returned Troopers' Club, and the Patriotic Committee had voted £IOO towards the cost of upkeep. The Liverpool Committee agreed to make a grant of £25 towards this object. Mesdames Way, and Miss Heywood were added to the Finance Committee.