HELP OUR NAVY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 260, 22 July 1918, Page 3

HELP OUR NAVY

THE SAILORS DAY ON FRIDAY. On Friday and also on Saturday morning an eftort is being made to raise funds .fur the men of our is'avy in the shape o! a flower and Ixilloen day. Owing to the hitler siui|> that we luive been suffering during Hie pa.it Iwo or three days it is feared that the flowers will have met ivitli.ii.il untimely setback, and it is hoped that if unable to send flowers people will instead contribute lioiue-niade calces, "nlfi j iiuis, picldes, chiiiiicys, anything at all, in fact,'that is saleable. The committee would not dream of saying "No" to a sheep, or to sheep in the plural, while as for poultry, since they bring in much money these days they would be very gladly accepted. When ilic farming community, and Hie merchants, stop to consider how great is their debt to I lie Navy, -ho one for the fact that his wool, his bulter, and his cheese are still able to iinil a. market in Britain owing to Iho never-ceasing activity of our sailors .".ml the other that he is still able to receive liis imports ft-v the same reason, (lien they must rc;.lise lo some degree how great is iluir debt r-nd how impossible it is of adequate fulfilment. That knowledgejiowevcr, need not deter the farmer, nor tiie merchant, nor any other section of the community from making some return, and that as largo as iheir cireunisian.oes permit, in answer to this appeal. It is noiliing but their plain duty, and (lie il'.iy of everybody in this most fortunate is!:u.|l, to give of their substance in rjfurn for the safety, the prosperity, the extraordinary freedom front war's alarms which they are enjoying, because of (lie "Silent Navy." And because of -Is f.'lence we have only the faintest conception of the splendid chanters which the nun of the Navy aro adding to Britain's history, chapters in which the bravest deeds, the greatest fortitude are taken as a me.tter of course, merely becnuie it is the Navy in which such things are as its daily food, or as natural as the air we breathe. Even at our own doors, however, we have had evidence of their work as mine-sweepers. The effort which is being- made on Friday should commend itself to the public of Wellington for their practical and generous consideration. In this case duty should bo a pleasure.