THE WAREHOUSE OF SANTA CLAUS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 792, 24 August 1916, Page 4

THE WAREHOUSE OF SANTA CLAUS.

UNLIMITED STOCK NEEDED. FOR THE MEN IN THE TKENCHEsJ LWritten for THE SUN.! Who is goinjj to help stock the ware-' house from which the Santa Clans of the trenches obtains his stock.' You are, of course, and you, and you,; laud you —everyone will help. But! listen. You must help at once—right | now, because Santa is already packing! up, for its a long journey to the trenches, and travel is slow hen one has so much i to carry. Every gift must be ready in j the warehouse by October I—that's: I little more than a month off. And! I the days rush by so quickly—a week i | whirls by before you can see it pass. I [Procrastination, the thief, will tell you! that there is plenty of time, but pay no: ' attention to him. Send your donation Ito the warehouse To-day, and to-night I you may sleep with a (dear conscience, 'knowing that you have done your little bit to make a soldier, or, better still,! j several soldiers, happy on the day wheir 1 gladness should prevail all over the I world—Christmas Day. Let me tell you a little more about i j this warehouse devoted to Christmas! j gifts for the soldiers. Mostly it is; known as the Lady Liverpool Depot, | land it is a place which has but one ob-1 , ject in life —the object of ameliorating,! las far as may be, the lot of the soldier' ion active service. He ha* to suffer; | many hardships, we well know, but the, Workers at the Lady Liverpool Depot: i toil unceasingly at the task of providing him with whatever comforts it is possible to send. They supplement his ; I scanty equipment with warm woollen 'scarves, socks, balaclavas, leather waist-i i coats, etc.; they supplement his unin-| terestiug fare with such delicacies as they are able to send. Just at present! they have turned the depot into a w : are-j | house for Christmas gifts, but the workera themselves, not having magic at ■their command, cannot conjure up 6000 | gifts without the assistance of the public. That is why the help of everyone is wanted, and wanted quickly. It's not. much to do—to send a donation in cash or kind for a Christmas I gift for a soldier. Not much at all — when you think of what they are doing.: Sit down for five minutes and imagine I the life of a trench-dweller —the mis-1 ieries of discomfort, the danger, the hard-! [ships, the bitter cold, the death that ! may wait for him at what moment he | knows not. And then contrast your own safe, comfortable existence with his, and remember that he is fighting) for you. Is there anything that you j can do to "even up*'—anything to pay the debt? He, the trench-dweller, is a fine chap who doesn't ask for payment, but you can at least imitate his generosity and send him a Christmas! gift. Money is wanted by the Lady; Liverpool workers, who will convert it ! into suitable and useful sifts. If you' (prefer to send your contribution in kind I you may forward along socks, tinned milk, chocolate, cigarettes, and similar! i things. Mrs Holland, the Mayoress, or any other depot workers will be so glad I to receive your gift, and their delight, after all, will be but a small thing compared with the glee of the trench-dwel-ler when your parcel comes to hand. So, of course, you Ml all help—and for this occasion you must adopt the American maxim and Do It Now!—S.