CHRISTMAS SHILLING GIFT FUND

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2647, 18 December 1915, Page 3

CHRISTMAS SHILLING GIFT FUND

I ASSOCIATED AMATEUR SPORTS EFFORTS. Tho Christmas Shilling Gift Fund which ivns inaugurated at tho end i of October tho purpose of supplying all tho troops at' the Dardanelles wit'h I comforts for Christmas has now reacli|cd the satisfactory total of £3000. This amount has been collected by tho associated committee of amateur sjiorts bodies mostly in shillings, and has como mainly from Wellington and tho smaller towns in the Dominion. Auckland, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill were unable to assist on account of similar local efforts, so that the result achieved must' bo considered satisfactory. ■ On Decembor 2 orders were cabled to London for the supply of the following gifts to the troops: 80,000 2oz. packets of cigarette tobacco and pyiers, to the well-known firm of Hills, London, the price paid being 2s. lOd. per pound; to Fry's for 40,000 }lb. packets or chocolates at '4s. sd. per doz.; and to Pascall's for 40,000 tins of barloy sugar, at 2s. Bd. per doz. Each packet will bear the inscription "From Amateur Sports Efforts, New Zealand," t'lie shipment will be made in one lot direct to Gallipoli. The amount of £2600 required to foot the bill has been paid into the Public Account at Wellington, and will be transmitted, free of exchange,; by cable for payment through the High Commissioner in London. The latter lias been instructed by cablegram to see to the shipment of tho gifts, which are being consigned to the Quafterniast-er-General, with the intimation that it is the desire of the committee that' the packets should be distributed among all the Allied troops at the Dardanelles. In addition, Major -Harry Avery, who holds a command in the Army Scrvice Corps at Gallipoli, has been asked toi take an interest in the matter, in order to see that/ the gifts reach as many men as possible. ■ The whole arrangement has been made by cable, and it is certain that, all being well, tlie goods will reach our boys early after Christmas. In addition, tlie garrison at Samoa have not been forgotten. By last/ Monday's boat leaving Auckland, sufficient tobacco to give each' man 70z., with papers, and an assortment of sweets, allowing half a pound for each, was sent forward to the Quartermaster, wit'h a request that the gifts-should be distributed at Christmas. It is claim-, ed that the' scheme ■ used in, sending these gifts to the troops in the fighting line is the most' economical as well- as tho most certain way of reaching tho men. Not only have the gifts been purchased at under one-third what they would ■ Lave cost here, but the firms named, wild have world-wide reputations, are as interested as the committoo in seeing that the gifts actually reach the men in the firing line. With tho assistance of tho High Commissioner there is' no doubt but that shortly after Christmas our boys in tho trenches will have a littlo reminder that they arc not forgotten by tlie. people of New Zealand. The committee feel very, much indebted to the public for the immediate and generous response made to the ap-. peal. ' The public of Wellington, although besieged with appeals for different funds, responded well, and tho manner in which the ladies worked under great difficulties left nothing to be desired. On the first ■ Gallipoli Day, in all fjho rain and storm, one little band of ladies stuck gallantly to their position on the Ferry Wharf, and collectedover £14, while others stood on windswept streets, and refused to leave their posts until they had collected the last shilling. The members of the Wellington Commercial Travellers' Club heartily supported the. scheme, and under the able leadership of Mr. M. Canadded over £300 to the fund, as the result of one .day's effort, while -tho members again worked hard on - tlie second day of .the collection. A full report and balance-sheet will be. prepared at once and published.