ANNUAL REPORT OF VICTORIA LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2455, 7 May 1915, Page 3

ANNUAL REPORT OF VICTORIA LEAGUE

, The annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Victoria League will bo held this evening. . The report states that the system of drawing-room meetings proposed at the beginning of the year had been carried out with considerable success. As a contribution to the equipment of the Expeditionary Forces, the league decided to provide, as far as possible, medical comfort-s for the troops, and the items included in the list covered a wide range of useful articles. Twenty-one cases had been sent away with tho various forces up to the present, and the league hoped to go on with the work as long as it was needed. This was being kept as special league work, though each member belonged, also, to other committees, and helped in other ways. A letter had been received by Miss Coates (the president .of the league) from Colonel Begg, stating that supplies had been found most useful in treating wounded men in Egypt, and thanking the league for its efforts. The thanks of the Government had also been expressed in a letter from Colonel Purdy, Director of Medical Services. Substantial help had also been given by the league in connection with the farewell dinner to tho troops at Trentham in December, the members and their friends having provided a large share of tho provisions. On Christmas Day, in response to the secretary's request, two truck loads of vegetables were sent from Wanganui, and 18 sacks from New Plymouth; and since then vegetables and fruit had been sent from New Plymouth nearly every week. The New Plymouth and Waitara leagues had also sent an excellent case of hospital clothing and medical comforts, which would be of great help in equipping the next Expeditionary Force. "All goods intended for the camp and marked "per Victoria League" wore carried free on the railways. The girls' branch, under the i leadership of Mrs. J. D. Gray, with Miss L. Vickerman as secretary, had done excellent work during the year. They had done sewing and knitting for tho'troop J and had provided four excellent concerts at tho camp, as well as entertaining tho men at the troopers' club. A large case of infants' clothing had also been dispatched by them for the assistance of Belgian _ women. A series of scenes from "Alice in Wonderland" aud "Through ;tlie Looking Glass" had been assiduously rehearsed by a cast taken wholly from the girls' branch, and a most successful entertainment was given on March 14, resulting in a good sum of money for tho Belgian Food Fund. In both branches the league intended to continue its patriotic work as well as its usual forms of help. This month it was intended to send tho usual parcels of bcoks and magazines to tho back country—a matter in which the league had always received generous and ready support.' In connection with the dispatch of medical comforts and hospital clothing the report states that the cost is very high, and the league would be glad of further help in money or goods to help keep (his branch of its work going. The success of the league had been largely_ due to the generosity of friends outside the league; and to these, as well as to the numerous officials and organisations with whom its activities have brought it into friendly relatinns, the league expresses its best thanks.