COMFORTS FOR THE WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2603, 27 October 1915, Page 4

COMFORTS FOR THE WOUNDED

Mast suggestions have been putforward for assisting our wounded and invalided soldiers on their return to New Zealand from the fighting lines, but _ a "A Soldier's Mother," who writes us,oil the subject. thinks that something can and should H 01/x ~" .while

in hospital abroad. Her letter reads as follows: —

"I'or many months large sums of money have been collected in New Zealand for tho 'sick and wounded soldiers, and those who give to this fund think that some of it i> goiug: U> keep our soldiers in the hospitals in Lgypt and JlaUa, lo buv comforts and necessaries, such as o""s butter, etc. Such, however, does i°ot 'appear to be the case. All is being ■kent here till thev return to homes sum comfort, while the ireal need is over there to get them strong to return to the front. Perhaps tho trouble is that thoro is no suitable per.-on there to contra the funds. But why not get the \ .iI.C.A. to do this work? They do good and conscientious work everywhere. Hoping this will help to bring some comforts to our bravo men in Egypt and Malta,-I am, etc., A Soldier's Mother."

The suggestion hero made will appeal to the common sense as well as to the sympathies of most people. With crowded hospitals and hardworked staffs our wounded soldiers, though well enough eared for in a mineral way, are not likely to get many luxuries or home comforts abroad, and there are many things which might be sent them which would not only be greatly appreciated but might well assist to help them on the road to recovery, lho difficulty is to find a way of ensuring a satisfactory method of delivery. It is unfortunately a notorious fact that parcels addressed to our troops "abroad too seldom reach thendestination, and the Government some months ago sent Colonel Rhodes to Egypt to endeavour to straighten out this and other shortcomings. How fav Colonel Rhodes has succeeded in remedying matters has not been stated, but if the Y.M.C.A. could be induced to undertake the work as suggested by our correspondent it would be in good hands. The magnificent work clone by the Y.M.C.A. in the various camps in Egypt has won ■ almost uni' versal admiration. Scores of letters have reached us from members oi our Expeditionary Force who have hacl practical experience of what the Y.M.C.A. is doing, and who are loud in their praise. Perhaps the Patriotic Society will take the question up.