PUBLISHED BY REQUEST

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 8 April 1915, Page 2

PUBLISHED BY REQUEST

Auckland, 31st March, 1915,

Dear Sir, — Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool would be greatlyobliged if you would kindly give the attached letters a prominent position in your next issue.—l am etc., Gavin M. Hamilton, Private Secretary. To the Editor, " Kaipara and Waitemata Echo." [Letters from Her Majesty the Queen to Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool] Buckingham Palace, London. January 22nd, 1915. Dear Lady Liverpool,—l have received with feelings of great satisfaction the generous gifts of socks and belts which you have so kindly sent me from the people of New Zealand, whom I remember so well well on the occasion^of our memorable visit there in 1901. I heartily appreciate the ready response which has been made to my appeal by all classes of the community throughout the Dominion, and I am deeply touched to hear that contributions 'have even been rectived from schools far away in tbe backblocks. I would like to suggest that any further supplies you may Jeceive should be utilised for the benefit of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, which is sure to be in need of such comforts. May I take this opportunity of expressing to you my sincere gratitude for your very kind and valuable assistance. —Believe me, yours very sincerely, (Signed) Mary R. Government House, Wellington, March 30th, 1915. To the Women of New Zealand, —As a considerable time has now elapsed since the New Zealand troops landed in Egypt, I think we should soon endeavour to provide them with some extra comforts, and I propose, therefore, to try and send each man of the Expeditionary Force two (2) pair of socks, and to despatch them in June, in order to allow time for people to work for this object.

His Excellency has suggested that when the gifts are despatched he should telegraph to the officer commanding the Force, instructing him to take steps to see that the gifts are properly distributed, and also to send a reply saying how the contributions have been dealt with, so that I can advise all the committees. I should he glad if those committees or anybody else who desires to assist me in this suggestion, would either send their contributions to me direct to Government House, Wellington, or to any of the centres which they have up to now been working with for subsequent transmission to me. I should further be glad to hear from those poeple who intend sending their contributions to me before the gifts are actually dispatched to Government House, Wellington, in order that I may send special labels to identity them.

Should anybody desire ti se.id other gifts of clothing, I will eu.le.u'our to have them despatched at the same time.

While desiring to encourage local efforts by asking committee*; and individuals to assist in providing socks for the men of their own localities, I wish to make it clear that should there not be sufficient socks available by next June to provide for every member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force at present in Egypt, the deficiency will be made good by the purchase of the requisite number with money taken from the general fund,

(Signed) ANNETTE LIVERPOOL,