WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3091, 23 May 1917, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD

' (Continued from page 2.) TRENCH COMFORTS FOR THE SOLDIERS ADDRESS BY MRS. DE.CASTRO..., : Yesterday afternoon, at the T.M.C. A. (Buildings, Mrs. P. Do Castro, who spent jmany months in Egypt during the earlier jperiod of, the war working iu connection pvith the Y.M.C.A. for ouv soldiers, gave interesting address upon many matters that had come within her observa- . ition. ilt was during tho time that the Galjlip'oli campaign, was proceeding that Mts. De Castro was in Egypt, and very shortly after her arrival there she was placed in (charge of theY.M.C.A. Soldiers' Club in ■the Eskebiah Gai'dens. The great extent 'of those gardens may be imagined when lit is mentioned that they had a capacity for fully 10,000 soldiers. The- club itself

would be visited by some thousands of tho soldiers daily, and from such numbers something oould be gathered cf the work which was undertaken by those in charge. Of its value in counteracting the dangers of Cairo, there was not the s-.igh test shadow of doubt, and it was largely upon the representations made by Afrs. De Castro to the military authorities that more active steps wero taken to keep the gardens clear of the dangers with which Cairo is infested. The music, billiard, and writing rooms were always filled with soldiers, and Mrs. De Castro's day began at nine in the morning, lasting' till one, and then from two in tho afternoon 'to ten at night. Not content with that, the sneaker told her audience that with a body guard she used lo make personal tours through tho city to see what help she could give to soldiers not responsible for themselves. Perhaps the most strenuous time of all that was spent in Egypt was when she, with two of the Indies from the Aotea Convalescent Home, went to tho Canal (after the evacuation from Gallipoli), and there in a mat-constructed hut ran a

canteen and club for tho soldiers. In tho iirst place, it was no easy matter to overcome opposition to their going there. They had- to live on army rations when thero, ana to' -work at supplying refreshments for unlimited numbers of men in the high 'temperature prevailing was a task to try the stoutest-hearted. Their recompense lay in the great appreciation which the soldiers expressed of all that was done for tliera, and of knowing that they had lessened to some degreo something of tho hardships which had to te iaced.

Tho great handicap which Uie V.M.C.A. had to face for a long time was the fact that no money came from New Zealand. Britain and Australia supported thtii branches, but New. Zealand was very slow. In tho matter of raising fuiids with which to provide the nursing sisters in Cairo with a. greatly oeedcl club where they could rest, secure a meal and a bath, was to be found y£t auother illustration of this slowness to comprehend the great need of the time. Of the work of Miss Bout and her volunteer sisters, Mrs. De Castro spoke vory enthusiastically. They had dene magnificent work for the soldiers, and it was well that this should be realised in New Zealand. It was all the more to Miss Rout's credit when thero was ?o mucli opposition to fight against in tho beginning. The work of the Young Men's Christian Association for the soldiers in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France was outlined by the speaker,'and the greatest praise given to it, especially to that done by Mr. Hay, who gave himself heart and soul to the cause. A very strong appeal was made for trench comforts, and these, Mrs. De Castro told her hearers, were very badly needed—if anything they were moro greatly needed by the men in Egypt. In I'rance it was an easier matter to send' supplies of these to the men in ' the trenches, and there was more variety in •the way of food. This, however, was not the case in the Egyptian deserts, where the men suffered from all the famed plagues of Egypt, and from a monotony of food.

Mrs. De Castro called upon the women present to do all in their power to fight either for early closing of hotel bars or for total abolition of liquor. She had seen so much of tho evils caused to tho soldiers through, drink that she felt if the women only knew all they would fight against it to the utmost. Drink was impairing efficiency here as well as abroad, and the great cause for which tho men were prepared to fight, and for which they were being trained, suffered accordingly- . Mrs. Low, president of tho Ladies Auxiliary of the Y.M.C.A., presided at the meeting, and associated with her was Mrs. M'Clay. A letter from General Birdwood expressing great appreciation of Iho work done by Mrs. De Castro was read by the chairwoman, and at the end of the address a. very hearty vote of thanks (o the speaker was passed.

This afternoon a sale of work is to be held at tho Pioneer Club, in. aid of Br. Agnes Bennett's Motor Ambulance Fund. In the evening the Victoria League Concert Party gives an entertainment for the same cause, and it is hoped there will bo a good atlondanco of members and friends.

The "British Australasian" of April 7 announces that on April 2; at St. Mary's, Stamford Brook,/ Lieutenant Kenneth Allan Henderson, New Zealand Infantry, youngest son of Mr. J. W. Henderson, of Karori, Wellington (N.Z.), was married' to Miss Louisa liussells, younger daughter of Mr. W. J. Russells, of Woolwich; also that the marriage took place on April .1, at the WesTcyan , Church,. Clapham, High Street, of Lieutenant P. M. Corkill, N.Z.E., son of-Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Corkill, of Oriental Bay. Wellington (N.Z.), to Miss Gladys M. Lawry, elder daughter of Mr. Henry Lawry, of Karaka Bay, Wellington (lato of the Bank of New Zealand). Miss Lawry came to England a few months ago, and' has been doing canteen work at Brockenhurst.