HAMPERS FOR SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1915, Page 6

HAMPERS FOR SOLDIERS.

THE MAYOR'S FUND, ELEVEN. CASES OF GOOD THINGS. The fund to purchase Christmas presents for the Taranaki soldiers at the front closed yesterday, when it showed a total of £159 2s 4d. In addition to this GO parcels were received. The Mayor (Mr. J. E. Wilson) and Mr. W. J. Chaney, the treasurer of the fund, spent a busy day yesterday in purchasing luxuries and filling large cases with good things which will bring a gleam of happiness to the boys. There was only one difficulty which these gentlemen met with—they had too much money to spend, and, further, as the hampers have to be forwarded to Wellington to-day they had to complete the packing and other arrangements yesterday. The result of their day's labor was eleven large cases packed with sweets, tobacco, cigarettes, pipes, cutlery, books, etc., in ample quantity to make many hundred men glad. Exactly how much money was spent has not yet been arrived at, but after the expenses have been settled the balance will be handed to the Mayor to be devoted to one of the war funds.

The contributors to the fund make up a very long list, the donations ranging from 2s Gd to £2O. A complete list has not yet been compiled, tmt the principal amounts received were:—Receipts from the sacred concert at the Theatre Royal, £3G 4s 9d; donation from Okato, £2O; Pungarehu concert and dance, £l3; Newall Eoad school children, £l3 10s; collected by the Mayor, £lO lis Cd; collected by the Mayoress, £lO 0s 7d; from residents of Richmond and Lincoln Eoads, £4 10s 6d; from residents and school children of Tarata, £3. Sweets and cigarettes to the value of about £lO were contributed by the pupils of the New Plymouth Girls' High School, Messrs Bellringer Bros, donated two cases of billies containing chocolates, the residents of Rahotu sent two cases of goods, and the Fitzroy school children gave a case of chocolates.

Mrs. D. K. Morrison and Mrs. Hugh Baily, of New Plymouth, have dispatched direct to the front 66 parcels for Taranaki hoys, the contents comprising 7000 cigarettes and 201b cut tobacco (packed in bond), 240 pipes, assorted chocolates, sweets of various kinds, meat extract, potted meats, chutney, cocoa, muscatels, almonds, Christ-, mas crackers and stockings, safety matches and soap, purchased by the fund, in addition to donations received of numerous cakes, puddings, shortbread, biscuits, cocoa, condensed milk, writing paper, envelopes, pencils, blocks, playing cards, bath towels, magazines, and other articles, all being packed in tins. The fund was subscribed by friends (including Matau £2 2s 6d, Warea £2, and Omata £3) and amounted to over £33, and it is desired to thank all who so kindly contributed.

NORTH TARANAKI LEAGUE'S CONTRIBUTION. One ton and 56 lbs, valued at about £250, was the gift for the soldiers of the North Taranaki League's district, comprising Waitara, Huirangi, Tikorangi, Wailii, Urenui, Minii, and Uniti districts. These were forwarded in eight cases on Monday to Wellington. The assortment is an exceedingly good one, consisting of some 5000 odd packets of cigarettes, 1250 to 1300 tins of tobacco, some 50 boxes of chocolate, 2000 boxos of chewing gum, 156 pipes, IJ ewt.. lollies, 2000 envelopes, 144 writing pads, hundreds of pencils, 6 doz. tins tooth powder, 5 doz. tins insect powder, all of which were purchased from donations made. In addition to this, there was quite 6 cwt. eako of various sorts (up to three-decker iced ones), biscuits, sweets of all descriptions, writing pads, envelopes, pencils, shaving and washing soaps, boot laces, towels, preserved meats, coffee, milk, cocoa, and dozens of other useful articles, edible and to wear. These goods were received from all over the district, and the response was a voluntary one, no special effort being needed to get the goods. The cash contributions were made up bv Waitara £3O, Tikorangi £l7, Huirangi £ll, Waihi £4, Urenui £ls, and Uruti £l3, a tota.l of somo £3O. The whole of the goods were purchased net in the warehouse, with all dutiable articles free of duty, hence the good value for the money.