COUNTESS'OF LIVERPOOL'S GIFT HOOK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2725, 21 March 1916, Page 8

COUNTESS'OF LIVERPOOL'S GIFT HOOK

A FTRST CHEQUE FOll £500,

The Countess of Liverpool's Gift Book has proved a very successful venture so far, and' the sum of £500 lias been handed by Her Excellency to the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) as representing a present payment. In a covering letter to the Minister, Her Excellency says; "Dear Mr. Russell.—Messrs. Vhitcombo and Tombs, the publishers of my book, ■ who have_ devoted so much energy to its publication and spared no expense in this, direction.have sent mo a- cheque for £500, to be .utilised for the benefit of; the sick; and wounded New Zealand soldiers ih this' Dominion. I am, therefore, sending you this sum to do ,with it as you may think best. While saying this, I think it should rather be used for additional comforts and amusements than for the construction of permanent work, such as buildings, or the provision of bedsteads, which, np you will recollect, in the case of the hospital ships were provided by tile Government, and not out of the fund subscribed by the general public. "I may mention that the cheque which I enclose represents the sale of about half the present edition, and I sliould like to add that I sincerely hope that the copies of the book still remaining in the hands of the publishers and tlicir agents will meet with a ready sale, and so enable further contributions to be sent to you later on.—Very sincerely yours, Annette Liverpool."

To this letter the Minister isftnt Her Excellency a re'ply offering, on behalf of the soldiers, his heartiest thanks for this further evidence of her kind consideration for them. The request that the money should b6 devoted to additional comforts and amusements forths men would be strictly carried out, and he hoped shortly to submit for Her Excellency's approval proposals to that effect.