CLUB FOR NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2832, 25 July 1916, Page 6

CLUB FOR NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS

PROVIDED BX WAR CONTINGENT , ASSOCIATION.' . • Australian-New Zealand 1 Cable Association. V ' London, July 28. . Tie New- Zealand Soldiers': Club isyto 'b6' opened in. Russell Square on August 1. Th<?'-War Contingent Association has 'Tealisw'tho urgency of establishing social headquarters for . New Zealandors in '■Franco, and a- sub-committee has been entrusted to carry out the project and ■its ontire., control*,-the association .providing the funds.' '-.The- members ; of the-.sub-committee .themselves have, contributed JJSOO sterling. ■'• / 'By arrangement. with the War Office, they have obtained three mansions in a corner block, with the use' of. gardens comprising the square.. The military authorities, approve the. scheme, which will provide the men with "homelike surroundings, without military restrictions', with•in a-few, minutes of the Records Office aiid War Contingent Association's rooms iu Southampton 'Bojjr. ' The association's aim is to attract New Zealanders to. a good . neighbourhood, and. so avoid tlieir loitering in' tho slums. The War Contingent Association will arrange'■ for the'reception and provide comfortablo accommodation for two hundred men,-.-direct others to approved boa'rdinghouses in the .vicinity, abd act as an information bureau, <*jid arrange outings. The staff will be composed entirely of New Zealanders. ; The .association's, sympathetic supervision] has resulted in the New Zealand•ers making an excellent impression,' and there have boe'n few'regrettablo incidents.-' The association's ' arrangements enable it to deal with any number arriving. The club will be. self-supporting, and is being established entirely from funds publicly subscribed.' With businesslike management complete success is expected.

There is considerable dissatisfaction -regarding,. tfye military .assumption of control of -Walton Hospital, which the War Contingent Association'established and managed with conspicuous success. The military authorities, upon the ground tliat the..'troops were being pampered, recently exercised pressure, which Tes'ulted in the association's. executive, under protest, handing oyer tho: hospital forthwith. ; Probably a' meeting of the association will'' be called to, consider' the matter, with a view to mrtkiijg represen-tations-to the people of the Dominions.