OUR BOYS OVERSEAS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2866, 2 September 1916, Page 10

OUR BOYS OVERSEAS

WOUNDEDS AND CONVALESCENTS

IN ENGLAND

WHAT IS BEING DONE FOR

THEM

A member of the Advisory Board of the Federation of New Zealand L'atriotio War Relief Societies has received the following letter from the llight Hon. Lord I'lunket, G.C.M.G., chairman of the Executive Committee of the New Zealand War Contingent Association, London.

After referring to the Walton Hospital, he says:—

"Jirockenhurst' is just being opened by the New Zealand Military Headquarters with 1500 to' 1800 beds. There are actually three buildings iu the village of Brockenhiirst—each about ■500 yards from it. We are establishing a large club room in the village with tea, New Zealand papers, and so on. Wo shall have concerts and entertainments for all men able to hobble that far, and we are taking a little house in the village where two or three of our New Zealand visitors will live, manage the room, and look after the patients actually in the'hospitals. "At Salisbury, whence the men from the baso come in whenever they can get leave for the day, we shall have a New Zealand Club Room run by New Zealanders. The men are able-bodied, but we want to keep them so by giving them an alternative to other undesirable attractions. "Here in London we have a splendid club room, exactly'opposite the New Zealand Headquarters, and so get hold of nearly every man who comes up to London. Then we have our Officers' Convalescent Home, Brighton(free), and are starting our New Zealand Military Nurses' Rest House at Sandwich for a dozen nurses at a time. Our hostel in London, with beds, baths, food for about 170 New Zealand men, close to this and the Military Headquarters, will be open in a fortnight; and was earnestly pressed upon onr notice by General Godlcy. and General Richardson. We meet the men as they arrive on furlough at the London stations (often in the riiiddle of-the night),so as to start them right and pilot them to headquarters, to our rooms, and to decent lodgings—after that they., must choose their own path. "We are interviewing men all day-and every day—arranging trips for them, suggesting places in the country where they can. receive hospitality, passing them on to our local New Zealand, Committees at Edinburgh, Manchester, etc., and doing all sorts of jobs and commissions for them. The, wounded and sick and those on furlough after illness are our special caref—healthy men on furlough come some way behind, hut we can't neglect looking after them, though very little is actually spent on them in proportion. "Aj to men at the front, so far we have done very little, but on the recommendation of the general we* are about to provide them with }d. English papers which they can't easily get there, and. for which they are charged wicked prices. We may have to do other thing 6 for them —that depends on what turns up. "Gifts in kind.for men at the front, whether sent to us or direct to the military, all go to a New Zealand Military Gifts' Store at Southampton, and by agreement with General Richardson, we jointly decide how best to use them, so thero is no -overlapping.' Gifts for hospitals in England or at the front are similarly dealt with. Of course, things scheduled for any person or regiment or district wo send on as directed; where wo are left tho option wo decide ourselves. If there 6hould be any difference of opinion we would have the right to use tilings in these stores sent to the association, as we ploased, and the military would do the same, but I do not at '.all anticipate having to come to this. "Front the High Commissioner to the young ladies doing up parcels in the basement, we are all moved by tho samo ideal—do the best 'we can for the splendid men who are doing so much for us and for tho Empire. "We don't coddlo or spoil them if we can help it, but soe that they get that treatment their brother or sister New Zealanders would give them themselves if they were here to do it, and, above all, try. and • make England feel roally a bit like "home" to them. I don't like to conclude this hasty account of our work without mentioning two things: — j'"1. AVithout the splendid voluntary help of our lady helpors we men could have done hardly anything. . "2; The chaplains attached, to the N.Z. Expeditionary Forces have done great tilings for the men outside England, Some of them are now coming over here attached to hospitals, and their services will continue to be of the greatest value._ We are working in conjunction and in consultation with them its closely as possible. In France tliey nuist remain the main help to our men in the sort of mattersVe deal with over here. The officer in charge of our joint store in Southampton is Captain Gveene, a Salvation Army man, and >.n Army Chaplain, and as his office is at Military Headquarters exactly opposite our room;, we are always in touch with him. "Yours sincerely, "(Sgd.) PLTJNKET."