PARCELS FOR BRITAIN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 75, 3 September 1947, Page 5

PARCELS FOR BRITAIN

AN ELOQUENT APPEAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INTEREST $ As a result of an eloquent appeal by Mr E. R. Dillicar the Whakatane Chamber of Commerce decided at its last meeting to actively sponsor the despatch of regular parcels to Britain, and to take advantage of a list of twelve known families with young children in London whose addresses were handed in by Mr T. Jordan.

Mr Dillicar drew attention to the heroic stand made by the people of Britain under the ‘blitz’, and said that never in their history had they risen to such heights of heroism and devotion. The same spirit asserted itself when at the time of Dunkirk, the whole nation rose as one man, and everyone who had a boat that was seaworthy went across the channel and snatched 150,000 troops from the hands of the enemy. When later the enemy had conquered practically' the whole of Europe the same little nation of heroes stood like a bastion of freedom and flung back defiance at the Nazi oppressors. Again all through the terrible blitz, the nation toiled on creating a war potential, until it was able to throw into the scales a mighty navy and air force, and to supply her allies with stores and armaments into the bargain.

That nation,,said Mr Dilicar, after the long weary years of war found itself today rationed down to such a degree that the monotony and samenes of diet was getting them down far more than ever the war did. England’s greatest asset was her national life. Today that was deteriorating because her people were not getting a proper balance of food. He realised the wonderful work that individuals were doing already but he appealed to the Chamber to be more actively associated with it, and suggested that at least one parcel per month should be despatched officially .and other members should do what they could privately. He thought a town of a similar size to Whakatane should be selected, and the local Chamber of Commerce asked to distribute the parcels going forward.

“We should do tins thing humbly,” said Mr Dillicar, “not looking for praise or commendation. We should regard it as a privilege and a duty to do it, remembering at the same time that it is little enough by comparison with what the people of Britain have done for us.”

Mr T. Jordan said that at the request of the Chamber he had written to relatives in London for the addresses of some -families who were in need of food, and had received twelve names. The information was received with satisfaction and it was decided to refer the names to the executive for prompt action. Mr Dykstra, president of the Murupara branch, intimated that that group would also like to be associated with the scheme and would supply its own parcels or finance.