NAVY LADIES' LEAGUE AUXILIARY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 7, 3 October 1917, Page 3

NAVY LADIES' LEAGUE AUXILIARY

The annual report oi' the Ladies' Auxiliary ot tlie Wellington -Brunch oi tlie Navy League state that X'iia results from the inauguration of this brunch » yeur ago have been most encouraging, strong wanches having been formed in Jiusterton, Atarton, Curterton, I'ieton, and Wanganui, together \yitu several school branches. The committee express gratitude to the members of the branches, and particularly to their officials, for the time and energy they have devoted to the cause, and congratulate ■ the president and secretary of tlie Mastorton Branch upon the well-deserved honour conferred upon them by the executive committee of the league. Efforts have been made to form tranches in Featherston, Palmei-oton North, Martinborough, Westport, Feilding, etc., but up to tho present auxiliaries have not been started in these centres. Tlie first effort of the auxiliary in raising funds for a patriotic object was in connection with the Trafalgar Bay concert given at the Town Hall last October, when it co-operated with the main committee, and tlie proceeds were devoted to the French Bed Cross. ■ On this occasion Mrs. James Hannah rendered invaluable service, and organised part of the entertainment. Another important task- undertaken by the committee was a vigorous campaign to secure increased membership of the "Wellington Brancli, and the total number of members lias been''increased from between 240-250, at the time the auxiliary started, to. 1110 at the present time. Special attention lias' been devoted to the provision of comforts and warm clothing for the men of the minesweepers, Atlantic patrol, motor patrol, boarding- patrol, trawlers, Naval convalescent homes, light cruiser patrol, etc., and for the carrying on of this section a workroom was opened iu November last in the sewing room of the Technical School, through the kindness of the board of directors. Tlie making of garments has been most ably carried out under the direction of Miss Laurenson. An additional workroom was also opened bv Mrs. Waters at the JtJavai Boat Station, Jervois Quay, in April, for the supply of clothing to Naval dependants. The splendid results obtained have already been published, and the workroom closed in September. The committee pay tribute to the energy and ability with which Mrs. 1 Watera carried ou the work undertaken. The attention of the committee was recently drawn to the fact that the New Zealand mm of the Motor Boat Patrol had been overlooked in the distribution of gifts on transports, etc. Arrangements were at once made to ensure that men from the Wellington district should each receive a. parcel in time for Christmas this year. This work was ably carried O'.it under the direct : on of Mrs. S. R. Gibbons. The sum of £6 was raised by the vice-president of the auxiliary, lira. J. P. Luke, on a recent country tour," for comforts for those at sea, and ■.this amount was , ' devoted to the. gifts. A generous contribution of cakes and tins for packing was given by the Citizens' Gift Fund. In view of the diffio'ulty of obtaining sufficient supplies of wool for knitting, Mid with tho object of reviving an interesting and valuable handcraft, a. spinning industry was founded by us in connection with the auxiliary, and opened during June in a , room kindly lent by Mrs. Hughes Steele. This has proved of real assistance to many members of the league, who had long desired to spin their own wool, and who in some cases even possessed wheele without the knowledge of how to use them. In addition to this the spinney has also been the means of enrolling many new members, and in its new premises at 256 Lambton Quey, kindly lent for the purpose by Mrs. Hannah, it will form a rnosC useful centro for co-ordin-ating the general activities of the auxiliary, in addition to .carrying on its own special work. Lessons have been given to sixteen punilsj tho sale of carders and wheels has b"een most satisfactory, and appreciative letters received from spinners in many.parts of the province show that the industry supplies a real want. Spinneries have since been started by the auxiliaries of Cartortou and Wauganui. The finances are thoroughly prosperous, a fifth of the capital advanced by the auxiliary has already been repaid through the generosity of Mrs. Lever, and ten guineas from tht) earnings of the spinncry have been donated to the Wellington Hostel for Returned Soldiers and Sailors. The Ladies' E7nergcncy Committee of the league in London, havrng appealed for gramophones and records to relieve the monotony of life for those at sea, ■ the matter .. was made known through the Press, nnd contributions asked for:. As a result, .£l6 in money and 170 good records have been sent Home. Messrs. Chivers kindly received and packed the gifts, and also contributed 35 records.