COMFORTS AT MIDNIGHT.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 27 September 1917, Page 3

COMFORTS AT MIDNIGHT.

A SOLDIER'S APPRECIATION

THE New Zealand soldier is not slow to appreciate any kindness done him, in his time of need, and indeed his gratitude is often touching in its heartiness. From its soldier friends the V.M.C.A receives many outspoken ex-, pressions of gratitude, which amply reward its busy workers and put the hall mark of success on their efforts. Private Duncan McLean, in a recent enthusiastic letter from France, writes: — " Let it be widely known through the length and breadth of the fair isles of New Zealand that their V.M.C.A are the people who, under the able guidance of Mr Hay, are here on the spot amongst the shells doing a great work amongst the boys both temporally and spiritually. . .

They know what is most needed. Night work is again in vogue, and very hard it is toiling up the line in the dark and working for hours at all sorts of repair work —work* which if I describe' it will cause the censoi to use his blue pencil But that is where the V.M.C.A steps in and turns on free cocoa and biscuits. In the middle of the night or small hours of the morning it is always ready and hot for the tired, fedup, weary boys on the way to their hard beds. Good old V.M.C.A. We simply can't shake them off, so they go to Germany with us when we go."