GIRL GUIDES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 August 1942, Page 4

GIRL GUIDES

MASTERTON UNIT’S ACTIVITIES WAR WORK.' MANY SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS. The annual report of the Masterton Girl Guides states, inter alia: —“War work has been very much to the fore this year. The making of camouflage nets in Masterton was commenced by the Guides in December. . . Up to the time of the earthquake 205 nets had been completed and we hope to be able to carry on this work again in the near future. The Guides gave up many hours of their Christmas holidays and worked in shifts the whole six weeks. They became very proficient netters and were complimented on the quality of their work by the Camouflage Unit. When school recommenced a call was made through the press to the public to help to carry on the work commenced by the Guides. We received a wonderful response and soon taught many people to net. so the work was able to go smoothly on, the Guides working whenever time permitted. In connection with the netting we have many people to thank for their help and interest, among them is one whom it is felt deserves mention, an old man of 86 who has worked continuously and made many nets of excellent quality. “Other forms of war work have been carried out during the year, among them the two collections of waste cotton, one for the Air Force and one for the Navy. This necessitated a considerable amount of work, a house to house collection being made by the Guides. We forwarded to the Air Force 9501b5. of sorted rags and to the Navy 3101bs. of sorted white cotton waste. Forty-one pounds of coloured cotton being sent to Wellington to the Reclamation of Waste Committee.

“We have also collected ergot at the request of the English Government and rose hips were gathered while the Guides were on organised tramps. These hips were given to the Plunket Society to make vitamin syrup foi babies. Parcels of warm clothing have been sent to England and a large quantity of tins of sweets were sentffo the Navy at Christmas time. “Our really big effort has been the raising of funds to assist in the building of recreation huts for the fighting forces. The Guides propose to build and furnish in New Zealand foul huts, two in each Island at a cost of £6OO each. The raising of the £2400 was handed over to the Guides and their committees. The Guides were asked to earn as much of the. money themselves as possible and this they have been doing in many ways and it has been a test of ingenuity to find ways and means of earning. Cleaning silver, cars, windows and even plucking dead sheep have all been souices of revenue. On Friday, June 12 the executive and the Guides combined in holding a shop day. ... As a result of this combined effort over £JU was raised. YVc thank all old Guides and friends who supported us so generously, To this £9O the Guides by their work and self sacrifice have, added to date a further £3O making a total of £l2O but as the campaign is not yet closed more may be added. The District Commissioner has been asked by the Guiders and Guides to tender their thanks to the committee for all the work they did in this effort.”