PATRIOTIC WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1917, Page 8

PATRIOTIC WORK.

MEETING OF WOMEN'S LEAGUE. The animal mooting of the New Plymouth Wojhoiis' Patriotic League was lnhi in tile Soldiers' Club last evening "I wonder if these are all the patriotic ladies and gentlemen there are in New Plymouth," said the Mayoress (Mrs. (.'. fl. Burgess), as she opened the meeting in the presence of 27 ladies and three gentlemen. "I should have thought prcaler interest would have been manifested in patriotic work at this time than is shown by the number present." At the instance of the Mayoress, the treasurer (Mr. F. Aslier) read the bal-mice-sheet. showing the work the League had done. The various items were/receded with applause as they were read. The Mayoress then submitted the following report:— Receipts, as shown in the balancesheet, amounted to £3905 Is 7d, and expenditure ,-03423 fis 3d, leaving a balance in hand of £541 Lis -Id, but against this were liabilities amounting tc £407 5s 4d, leaving £134 l(h to be carried forward for this year's wV\\ The meeting at which this committee was formed was hold on November !', 1915, and we were very fortunate in having our work rooms provided for us rent free, by the New Plymouth Hsjrbor Beard. We are under a deep debt of gratitude to this body for assisting the cause in such a liberal manner, also to those kind friends who provided the necessary furniture for the-rooms, including sewing machines, tables, chairs, etc. Our intention was to open the rooms two or three days a week only, but we scon found it necessary to open every day and all day to cope with the work. A COMPREHENSIVE LIST. It would be impossible to give a deta;led statement of all the work undertaken, but the following list will give some idea of what has been accomplished during the year. For men going to camp, 475 holdalls.; for use of men in camp, (iOO bag* gun rags; for military hospitals in camp, S cases books, comforts, linen, etc; for Foatherston Camp (Christmas, 1015), Hi cases; for men ia France and Egypt, 20fl() gift parcels containing some 20,000 articles, 05 cases Christmas goods, ehocu Into sweots. stores, wearing apparel, etc., 55 boxes butter (30001b), '25 eases jams* {1590 tins), 10 eases home-made jams, one gramophone and records; for Samoa, thro? cases Christmas gifts and cool clothing (50 complete sets cool underclothing and shirts); for Mesopotamia, .posted parcels of comforts; for JRotorua, three eases Christmas comforts, one easf books, one complete set carving tools; for troopships, 25 cases books, two gramophones and records, also cakes, sweets, jams and games; for Belgians, 10.cases and three bales, containing several thousand articles of clothing. A PRESSING NEED. I heartily thank all those who have rendered me such valuable and willing help during the past year, and I appeal to everyone to come forward so that the work may be carried on even more vigorously for I fear the need will be greater than ever. Each one, young and old. can do something. I take this opportunity of specially mentioning the very great courtesy and kindness shown me by the press in this patriotic work. Their columns are always open to my im,i:y wants. The books of the committee have been audited by Mr. J. S. S. Medley and certified to as correct and we have u thank Mr, Medley for his kind services in this matter. BALANCE-SHEET. ( The statement of receipts and expenditure from December. 1015, to December SI, 1910, is as follows: RECEIPTS. '£ s. d. Amount received from Treasurer, previous Committee 8 19 11 To Donations to Women's , Patriotic Fund 472 3 0 From New Plymouth Patriotic Men's Committee' (Comforts' Week Committee for Christmas gifts £250, Blind Soldiers £lOOl. Men's Patriotic Committee £BS) total of 435 0 0 Mavoress' Motor Ambulance Fund 523 4 2 Mayoress' Gift Parcels' Fund 245 10 10 Art, Unions (proceeds) 193 11 <i Seamen's Widows' and Orphans' Mayoress' Fund (Men's Patriotic Street Collections £370 7s Ort, amounts handed in to Mrs. Burgess, £309 5s 4d) 730 13 1 W.r.C. Soldiers' Christmas Comforts 312 1 10 Soldiers' Comforts 51 5 0 Belgian Fund : 122 S 3 Auzac Day 07 10 5 Anzac Flag 100 1 0 YM.C.A. Fund 15 IS 10 Blind Soldiers 30 3 11 Milk Fund 25 ft U [ Nurses' Fund 17 13 ij Returned Nurses' Fund .... 9158 Soldiers' Club , 13 1(1 7 Ambulance Upkeep 20 7 3 Tea, Monev 6 13 1 Brcekenhurst Hospital .... 0 10 0 Tobacco Fund 3 2 0 Saturday Flower ' Stall, Sales," etc. ...,, 507 8 10 r ;£3905 1 7 EXPENDITURE. £ s. (« ' By goods and material ... 913 2 4 Naval Dependents (Widows and Orphans through Prime Minister) 734 13 1 Motor Ambulance (London) 515 0 I)

Y.M.C.A. (London) 309 17 7 Soldiers' Club Rooms .... 213 5 3 Belgian and Serbians' Franklev Park and Flower Stalls 03 4 0

Bdgian Children Fund (London) 17j o I, Blind Soldiers (Sir Arthur Pearson's Fund, London) 157 0 0 Soldiers' Comforts Fund .. 90 ]:j U Ni.rses' Fund X.Z. (Jcneral Hospital (France) SO 0' 0 \':itoria League Ambulance 1''»"<1 37 5 10 St. John's Ambulance (upkeep— London) \, 2t> 13 0 I'.od Cross Society (New Plymouth) .....' 'm 15 (j X. 1 N.Z. Hospital, Brock- * enhmst \o 0 0 Salvation Army, NeV Plymouth , i 4 o Hire of Hall (Ansuic Bay) (! 10 0 Advertising, etc « ]3 Navy League (London) ;"> 0 Petty Cash s 2 Cost of cabling money to London, Y.M.C.A. anil St. John's Ambulance 3 fi o Cheque Books , l o 0 Balance at Bank N.S.W. and on hand, Dec. 31, Mlb' -541 13 A

£3905 1 7 Cii-h on Hand and at Bank 541 15 4 Outstanding liabilities.—Belgian and other funds £lO2 17s Oct accounts owing ;loi material, goods, etc., now paid, £244 7s lOd—total £407 5s 4d; leaving net balance to carry forward for 1917 work, £134 10s. STREET FLOWER SALES. Following is a summary of Saturday Street Flower Stall sale's, etc.:— 1910. August JS, Belgian Fund, £SO 17s, August 12, Belgian Fund, £SO; August 19, Belgian Fund, £10; August 20. Belgian Fund, £lB lfls 8d; September'2, Blind Soldiers' Fund, £IT 13s; September 9, Blind Soldiers' Fund, £23 10s 9d; September IG, Nurses' Fund, £l9 9s 2d: September 23, Nurses' Fund, £l7 17s ftd; September 39; Patriotic Funds, etc., £25 0s Odj-October 7, Y.M.C.A., £lO 19s 10d; October 14, Belgian ' Fund (Frankley Day), £37 18?; October 21, R"d Cross Society (New Plymouth), £lO 15s fid; October 28, Soldiers' Christina* Comforts. £l7 3s 3d; November 4, Patriotic Funds, £4 17s 2d; November IS, Victoria League Ambulance, £7 Rs 7d; November 25, Victoria League Ambulance, £lB 2s sd; December 2. Victoria League Ambulance, £ll 0s 3d; December 9, Salvation Army (New Plymouth), £ll 4s; December 10, Red Cross Society (New Plymouth) £9 0s 10d; December 2.1, Belgian Fund (children) 'Xmas, £7O 0s Od; December 31, Tobacco Stall (Mr. Hughes) £53 Is Sd. Total, £507 8s lOd. ADDRESS BY .MAYORESS. Tn moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, Mrs. Burgess said the League started with a capital of £S 19s ll(i. This did not last long, and further stimulus was given to the work by a donation of £SO given by the Central School. -The League had never been ihoit of money, but its work had been regulated by its income. The greatest proportion of the work was done outside the Leagues' rooms. There were even independent organisations which .vovked in the rooms, but which were entirely self-supporting. The ladies of these organisations merely used the machines, and left'their work on the tables when they had done. Self-supporting guilds worked at Lepperton, Omata Oknto, Uruti, Okau, Rahntu, Matua lV.rrklo v Road, and at the Whiteley Methodist, St. Andrew's Presbyterian, and Baptist churches. All these organisations sent their work to the League's depot, where it was packed, addressed, and despatched. The schools and the country guilds had done wonderfully weli. The people of New Plymouth had been very generous, and had kept the Ld.gurin funds. The flower day effort had not cost a farthing, and, thanks to. the kindness of donors and helpers, including a number of boys, the sum of £507 had been raised. As far as was possible, the money was disposed of almost as soon as.'it was raised. Mrs* Burgess expressed her thanks to the Gas Company, shipping companies, Kawaroa and East End Committees, and members of the warehouse staff, who bad assistfd the League. "It would be absolutely impossible to name all those who hail helped," said Mrs. Burgess. '-'Assistance has come from the most\ unexpected sources, and the whole community has been most generous." The -.Mayoress instanced a case in which 20 young ladies met every Monday evening and did a certain amount of sewing. She then enumerated at length the many details in connection with the League's efforts, and showed that there was work for everyone.' Concluding, Mrs. Burgess wished it to be made clear that the League depot belonged to the public, and all were welcome to make use of it. Miss Godfrey seconded the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, and said they disclosed a very satisfactory state of affairs. The work done by the League was stupendous. Miss Godfrey paid a warm tribute to the wonderful organising power of Mrs. Burgess, and said New Plymouth should be very grateful for having such a capable head for its patriotic league. The motion was adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows:—President, Mrs. Burgess; committee, Mesdames Amburv. EUrlet, Bowden, Hughes, Foote, Ewin'g, Blmidcll, Neal, Doekrill, Misses Godfrey, Fabian, Sole; lion, treasurer, Mr. F. Asl-.er.