New Zealand

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 73, 25 November 1915, Page 5

New Zealand

THE COUNTESS OF LIVERPOOL'S FUND. The following letter has been received by Her Excellency, the Countess of Liverpool, from Lieutenant-Colonel A. B. Charters, Officer Commanding the New Zealand Base Depot, Alexandria : "I have the honour to notify you that the gift goods forwarded by the "Maheno" were duly collected, and are now gradually being- distributed. Unfortunately, just as the goods arrived, our forces suffered very severe casualties, and it has been most difficult to trace many of the men lor whom personally addressed parcels have been sent, and I do not send out such parcels on any off chance. All units at present in Egypt have had their gifts handed to them, and those at the front are receiving them as quickly as their requisitions come in. Owing to our heavy losses, it was simply waste to think of sending over to Anzac 1000 gifts per battalion when such unit could muster only 200 men—the goods not immediately issued would simply have been destroyed by enemy's shells or wasted in other ways! Consequently, I sent a circular to each Commanding Officer of Company, etc., asking him to let me know the number of men left in his unit from different districts. Here was delay again, as the fighting was so heavy that I have not yet received replies from all officers written to. However, as these arrive, they are immediately attended to.

1 am sure everybody appreciates very highly your thoughtfulness in supplying our brave lads with comforts, and it is a matter for sincere regret that so many of our poor fellows will not receive those se'it to them.

"Would it not be possible, in future, to make goods for "general distribution." Ido not wish to dictate or interfere in the very slightest, but our men are now so scattered and are likely to be so in the future, that it is niost difficult to trace them;'also eases addressed, for example, 4th Reinforcements, 6th Reinforcements* etc., are practically impossible to deliver, because immediately these reinforcements join our forces they are split up among the original troops and so absolutely lose their identity. I make these suggestions not" only for convenience in distribution, but also for the sake of quicker delivery. If all goods come for "general distribution," they can immediately be despatched "en bloc" according to the average number of men in a Unit. Please accept my sincere thanks on behalf of Officers and men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force for the thoughtfulness of the promoters of your fund ; the ladies may rest, conten 1 that none of the results of their "labour of love" is wasted, and as far as possible, everything goes where it is intended."

CLOTHING FOR THE TROOPS.

The Mayoress (Mrs J. W. Boon) has received the following communications: "Dear Madam,—As our committee has heard numerous complaints about the housewives and hold-alls supplied to our Expeditionary Force, and on examination have discovered there are good grounds for these complaints, our President (Mrs J- PLuke) interviewed the Minister for Munitions and asked permission for this fund to undertake this work which we feel comes within our scope. This will mean that 2500 of each will have to be supplied each month, beginning in January next. We hope you will approve of this action on our part, and give u s your help; in this case, we will forward you samples for housewife and hold-all which have b. en approved by the Government. Yours faithfully, Harriette S. Crawford."

"Dear Madam,—We, the Committee of the above Fund, desire to express our gratitude for your valuable assistance in providing leather waistcoats for the troops in response to His Excellency's appeal. We all realise that without the assistance of the country districts, we could not possibly have carried out so great a work. You will be interested to hear that we have sent away 4,850 waistcoats to the Front; and this morning, we distributed 791 to the men of the Eighth Reinforcements; making altogether 5,041 waistcoats supplied. We, may safely say that our waistcoat's, in material and workmanship, compared very favourably with those from other centres. Your faithfully, Jacobina Luke.

WOUNDED SOLDIERS' FUND. £ s. d. Previously acknowledged' 2110 14 9 Mother Goose collection... 2 10 0 £2143 4 9