FOR THE WOUNDED.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1917, Page 2

FOR THE WOUNDED.

OUR MEN IN ENGLAND, (By A Special Correspondent). Loudon, April 30. Tlie New Zealand War Contingent Association gets frequent applications for help in the entertainment of (it soldiers on leave from the trendies in France; and it is impossible to ignore their claims. Tito Mck and wounded have been provided for by the people of New Zealand with a degree of generosity which is quite uniqw even amongst oversea troops. It has been the intention of the people of New Zealand that their boys shall be looked after without stint, and the War Contingent. Association has followed out that policy in the most thorough manner. But the man who has not had the good fortune to get a "Blighty" of a "Backsheesh" is in danger of being omitted from Wiese good intentions The funds which reach the Association are generally earmarked for the sick and wounded, and there is no regular organisation for fit men going 011 leave or actually in Franco The nis\",,r that they are fully provided for by the military is fortunately true fn so far as their life in France is concerned, but even there they can do with occasional extra comforts, and on leave they are surely entitled to a full share of the entertainment which is provided for their more fortunate comrades in blue. It is understood that Genera! Richardson nlso takes the view that fit men on leave are a proper object, for the use of funds sent from the Dominion for entertainment purposes. CRAFTS AND HOBBIES. With so many hundreds of men in hospitals, convalescent for considerable periods, the authorities have been faced by the urgent necessity of providing occupations for hands and minds. The old style life of the hospital patient—reading. smoking and eating—is not very satisfactory and distinctly retards the cure in a certain of case. At some hospitals regular departments have grown up in which hobbies and handicrafts are provided, and observation has shown that the .physical oure of the patient has been acceleAted by these occupations. The Australian Red Cross has a great workshop at Southall where patients can occupy themselves with •mechanical, motor t.nd electrical engineering, wireless telegraphy, carpentry •and so on. France and Belgium have also done great work for their disabled and sick soldiers. Central liichardson has been going l into tho matter for the benefit of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and arrangements are now being made for a great extension of indoor occupation^. The War Contingent Association has taken the matter in hand' at Hornchurch, the big convalescent camp near London, and has decided to adapt for the purpose the large new club which was opened bv Mr. Massey a few months ago. The Y.M.C.A. has a hobbies hall and the War Contingent Association has come to an understanding so as to prevent any overlapping between ths two organisations. The Association is therefore converting tho Mahutonga Club into a games room, for deck tennis, dock quoits, ping pong, etc. The billiard room will be enlarged to hold two more tables in addition to the three already there. The canteen will be continued and the hall will also be used, as heretofore, for concerts and lectures. CURATIVE TREATMENT. The hospitality committee of the New Zealand War Contingent Association has been going into the question of the entertainment of sick anil wounded, in consequence of a feeling on the part of some members that -too much money was being spent without a corresponding "benefit to the men. The entertainment usually takes the form of concerts, motor drives, theatres, and so on. Mr. I. W. Raymond, chairman of the committee, communicated witli the commanding officers of -various hospitals on the subject, and the opinion they generally held was that a reasonable amount of relaxation and change assisted tho cure. As one of them put it: "It is recognised by medical authority that motor drives and excursions, concerts, etc., are essential elements in .the successful treatment of sick and wounded soldiers." The Association will, therefore, continue the policy followed in the PaSt ' THE CONSTANT STREAM. At the beginning of April there were 3000 New Zealand soldiers in hospitals in the United Kingdom. The concentrat'.M> in our own hospitals accounted for 271110 (including 52 officers) and the remaining 240 were in English hospitals. During the last six months the New Zealand War Contingent Association has' sent out 7280 parcels of comforts and small items of equipment to our f.oldiers in hospital, besides providing bulk quantities for P.U. troops returning by transport, to' the Dominion. - During March 1307 patients were entcrtniped by the Association (exclusive ot those at Brorkenhurst and Codford). No less than llftl. were given theatre tickets, of which all but 00 were presented free by the theatres.