GIVE FREELY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 163, 22 May 1940, Page 5

GIVE FREELY

CANVASS FOR FUNDS SICK AND WOUNDED APPEAL The intensification of the war effort in all belligerent countries, and the feverish preparations among non-belligerents to meet any emergency, have brought home to the man in the street the significance of a recent speech by the Prime Minister, calling for full co-opera-tion from everyone, without consideration of age, status or position in life. The first fruits of this fresh national effort are to be seen in the launching of the greatest appeal to date on behalf of the sick,, wounded andl distressed soldiers. The Joint Council of the Red Cross and Order of St. John, backed by aj strong national organisation, hias set out to raise £250,000 for this purpose. The £300 required from! this town is a comparatively small amount and it is up to the citizens of Whakatane to prove themselves by giving freely; in other words, to give until —and) because —it hurts. In launching this appeal the organisers have assured the public on two important points. One is that the administration of the funds is entirely removed from political or Government control, and the other is that the channels through which the money is to be distributed are officially approved by the national body specially set up for that purpose . Disposal of Funds.

"This request is for funds, every penny of which will be forwarded on and applied for the care of our sick and wounded soldiers," runs the circular to householders from the hon. secretary of the Wliakatane Men's Patriotic Committee, and which continues: "The object of the appeal calls for no elaboration, and it is confidently anticipated that the response will be spontaneous and generous." As some elaboration will not be amiss, it should be recognised that the disposal, of the funds, covers a wide field and includes the provision of grants to hospitals for mobilisation camps, fortress troops, air force stations, troopships, ambulance transport and hospital ships, hospital and convalescent stores, aftercare of the sick and disabled, expenses for tracing missing and wounded men, grants overseas to British and Allied Red Gross, and to a hundred and one other small services which are designed to bring comfort and consolation to war sufferers.

Money—Not Goods. War workers are asked by the organisers of this appeal to give up their knitting and sewing for the duration of the campaign and concentrate on the collection of money. The reason for this diversion of effort was explained by one platform speaker when launching the appeal in the south last week. The British Red Cross had been sending three parcels a fortnight to prisoners of war, he said, and those parcels comprised foods, towels, underclothing, soap, shaving gear, socks and gloves, and their safe delivery to'prisoners of war is guaranteed by the International League of Red Gross Societies. Practically the only articles that had been made by voluntary workers in New Zealand were socks and gloves, so that obviously the need was for money so that the other articles could be supplied. The Reasons. Another reason why money rather than goods is askecl for is that the tremendous international organisation through which the Red Cross operates has its linger on the pulse of soldiers' requirements, and can direct money through the most appropriate channels, and in the purchase of suitable goods. The above, then, is the reason for the sick and wounded appeal. It is the reason for a bandi of Whakatane's citizens offering their services in collecting thijs town's quota, and it is the reason why Whakatane residents, it is confidently anticipated, will give freely enough to ensure that the £300 mark is reached 1 .