QUICK WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1939, Page 11

QUICK WORK

COMFORTS FOR TROOPS. VALUE OF ORGANISATION. Although the organisation has not been in existence long, the National Patriotic Fund Board and the officers associated with it have given practical demonstration several times in the course of the last few weeks of their capacity to handle the job with which they have been entrusted, even if the call on their services is made at short, notice. A typical instance of the value of having this national organisation to look after the welfare of the men goi ing overseas occurred recently. Notification was received at the office of the National Patriotic Fund Board in Wellington one afternoon recently of the impending departure next day of a draft of New Zealand troops for service abroad. There were only a few hours in which to act if these troops were to be provided with comforts aboard ship. Action was called for and it was supplied. The co-operation of men in certain business firms was enlisted, and. with their help, inside a couple of hours complete arrangements had been made for the placing aboard the ship of sports equipment, books, and other comforts. The parcels that were delivered to tile ship before she sailed contained | footballs, a medicine ball, punch ball, ! base ball set. cigarettes, tobacco and (

cigarette papers, tinned fruit, cocoa. I malted milk, full cream milk powder. tinned milk, meat, and vegetable extracts. current illustrated periodicals, 200 recent periodicals, and 100 books. The recent, periodicals and the books were supplied by the State Country Library Service which is giving valuable assistance in the administration of the National Patriotic Fund Board's scheme for the provision of suitable reading matter for the troops in camp and aboard ship. To meet these calls large funds are necessary, but the board feels that as requirements become better known and the need for them is better appreciated it. will receive from the public that support which wilt enable it Io do a good job of work.