THE WAR LOAN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3171, 23 August 1917, Page 4

THE WAR LOAN

THE NEED GREAT-THE TIME SHOUT. Satisfactory reports continue to come in with reference to the publio attitude toward the War Loan. It is known that many large subscriptions will como in as tho loan is closing. The present position of tho smaller subscriptions so far reported to Wellington indicates a. total of .£190,000. • •

The committee of tho Waikato Winter Show Association has decided to take up 200 .£1 War Loan Certificates, and these will bo disposed of .in prizes at their next show to be held at Hamilton. This is a lead to other associations, and shows in what varied ways assistance may be given to the War Loan. ' . At one of the counters in a largo cityyesterday an applicant for certificates to tho amount of £i apologetically expressed his regret that the sum was 60 small. Ho had no need to'do so. It fa probable that bis £& represented more to him than the .£IOO or .£IOOO of his moro prosperous neighbour. He was, like tho widow of tho Scriptures, putting into the Treasury the whole of his spare cash, and no more could be expected of him. If everyone in New Zealand would help the loan in this spirit it would be threefold over-subscribed.

It lias been decide/1 that for purposes of death duty tho .£1.000,000 which has been set aside must be applied for in inscribed stock, and inscribed in the name of tho person froni whose estate duty will bo payable. With referenco to 5 per cent. Post Office War Bonds,' in order to keep them strictly to tho class of people for whom they are intended, it has been decided that interest will only bo payable in New Zealand. The following is the text of a letter which has been sent by the Eight Hon: Sir Joseph Ward to the chairman of every local body m New Zealand:— . "Dear ' Sir,—Never in the history of oiir race has an issue fraught with such far-reaching and grave consequences been before tho nation. ' The enemy who would forever crush tho freedom we prizo so dearly is at the 7.enith of lus power. By a supremo effort wo can hasten tho ' inevitable setting of that enemy's sun. But to accomplish this, combined, continuous, and prompt action is absolutely essential. To one in Tour position it is not necessary for mo to explain that the War Loan provides one of those elements towards success which cannot possibly be omitted. I feel, therefore, safe in asking your active co-operation in making it a success. What is required is not only meetings of citizens, but the formation of active committees to whom will bo assigned specified districts in which to obtain definite promises of help towards tho loan. Will you help tho State to make this'loan even a greater success than the last? The need is great, the timo short, but I vely absolutely, upon tho pooplo of all classes to subscribe according to their means, and upon you to seo that the local organisation and concentration of effort aro adequate to tho requirements of so great an occasion. In the certain knowledgo that you will not fail.—Yours sincerely, (Rsd.) .T. G. WARD, "Minister of Finance."