This means that dreary weeks and months will have to be spent by the main British army in mud, bog, and slime in the trenches and on the roads of France. The thoughts of the people of New Zealand will be with the members of their Expeditionary Force who form part of that glorious army which is facing discomfort, danger, and the risk of death in order to protect their Empire and to assist in crushing the military despotism of Germany. And time honoured custom dictates that those who are living in comfort and ease under the sunny skies of the dominion should provide the troops at Christmastide with a tangible proof that they are held in proud and affectionate remembrance by them. A scheme has been adopted by the various women's patriotic organisations throughout New Zealand which aims at the transmission to the members of the Expeditionary Force of gifts, as far as possible, a uniform description from and on behalf of the people of the dominion. Each parcel will contain one woollen comfort - a pair of socks, or a balaclava, or a scarf, - a plum pudding, a tin of condensed milk, and a tin of sweets, and will be completed by the addition of various odds and ends of a kind that are always acceptable to the soldier on active service.
The Women's Patriotic Association is providing for the collection and packing of the parcels for the Otago members of the Expeditionary Force. The cases of parcels will be forwarded by transports to England. It is necessary to supply gifts for about 6000 Otago soldiers. We have decided to invite the residents of Otago to assist generally in providing the funds for furnishing each soldier from this district with a Christmas gift of the nature we have specified. The object is, we think, one that should appeal forcibly to them. If so, we would only ask them to contribute promptly to this fund. Little more than a fortnight remains before the cases of gifts must leave Dunedin, and we shall be grateful to our readers if within this time they will place us in possession of a liberal sum of money to be applied in the direction we have indicated.
Messrs. Herbert, Haynes, and Co. are making good use of spring flowers, the premises yesterday being decorated throughout by a great number of vases of daffodils, narcissi, and snowdrops. The blooms were sent up from Mr Haynes's fine garden at Sawyers Bay. Altogether some 4000, covering almost every variety, have been used, and make a very effective appearance distributed among the numerous articles of both male and female attire which the firm has set out for exhibition. Every department, but particularly the women's show quarters, has received attention, and the street windows also bear a good share of the blooms.
A Press Association message from Wellington states that the film censorship regulations have been gazetted, and will come into operation to-morrow. Provision has been made for the establishment of a Board of Appeal, consisting of three persons, who will be appointed shortly. Strong representations have been made to the Minister urging the appointment of at least one woman to the Appeal Board; but, as the censorship deals with the questions of decency and suggestiveness of films, Mr Russell, after careful consideration, has decided that, in order to provide full freedom for the discussion of details, it is better that women should not be on the board. - ODT, 13.9.1916.
- copies of photo available from ODT front office, lower Stuart St, or www.otagoimages.co.nz
