CALL TO FINAL EFFORT

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 39, 10 November 1942, Page 4

CALL TO FINAL EFFORT

Last Week Of Liberty Loan Campaign

BACKING UP THE FIGHTING FORCES

“We are now in the last week of the Liberty Loan campaign and I wish to speak to you on the necessity of putting all the punch you can into your efforts to make the-loan an outstanding success,” said Mr. W. E; L. Ward, acting governor of the Reserve Bank, in an address last night. “I wish to speak straight from the shoulder to you, and I address my remarks, not to those people who have already subscribed so splendidly, but ,to those thousands on thousands of New ..Zealanders who I know have the where: withal to put money into this loan. £lO is not too little; that is the minimum But give us as many of them as you can. And if you can make it £4O, £5O, £60,. or £lOO, all the better. “This is a fine country—good to live in and a bright spot in the Empire. Is it not worth putting your shoulder to the wheel for such a country I You send vour boys to the front to protect you. Why not do your part by sparing, something to help see this loan through? The funds of the loan are needed to pay for the materials to keep the boys fully equipped and to pay for fortifications and other war expanses in New Zealand. Believe me, if this country were overrun, whatever you have would not be worth a ‘linker’s damn’! Your homes, your iVives and children —where would they be! “I feel so sincerely on this matter that I wish to throw everything I can into what I am saying to you to try to bring home to you—each and everyone of you—the sheer necessity to back up your country. I do not care who you are —farmers, professional men, merchants, clerical men or women and all other workers—you are all' included in this category, and is up to you to enable me to tell the Pfime Minister that your country is behind him in New Zealand’s war ef“Now, you people with money to burn, money to spend on unnecessary articles, on pleasure, on anything you can do without, surely you can .save some of it. Could you not devote some small portion of it to protect not only yourselves and your own kith and kin, but to. protect your country and also your Empire, we have had good news these last tew days. Our lads are in this. Now doesn’t that stir your hearts and make you search your financial position to see what you can possibly do? It is no use being lethargic about this.—you cannot put it off. “I am fighting for this loan—which is a voluntary one. We are not taking the money from you. We are asking you to lend it to us, and what is more, we are paying you interest for it. And you. girls who- have sweethearts at the tiont, and who are working here, and getting good wages. Don’t you think it would be a pleasant surprise for them on their return if you were able to say that not only had you worked, but that you had saved for the. time of your approaching marriage? These little odd £lO investments will be in many cases a splendid nest-egg for many of you. “To those who have already subscribed I would only say this in thanking you, that perhaps many of you could “naif you looked again—that you had not subscribed to the full extentof your capacity, and that you could give a little bit more. We have only five days to go now. We are in the last lap, and it is always the last lap of a race that tells the story. . . “I do not want to labour this point any more than I need,” concluded Mr. Ward, “but in my position as actinggovernor of the Reserve Bank I am speaking to you of my own volition, and out of the sincerity of my heart. I am a New Zealander as so many hundreds of thousands of you are, and T love this country. Let us therefore put our weight into the scrum and give one mighty heave that will result in a beautiful goal.” OVER £7,000,000 NOW The New Zealand total of subscriptions to the second Liberty Loan reached £7,072,890 up to the close of business yesterday, comprising 10,854 applicaTh’e contributions yesterday amounted to £252,660, consisting of 1025 applications. MILITARY WEAPONS Displays In Wellington

Demonstrations of the handling and use of military weapons were given, at three points in Wellington in connexion with the liberty Loan campaign and they drew large crowds of interested onlookers. A visiting serviceman’s band of 68 players gave a programme at Liberty Corner. Perhaps most appeal was made by the display of the working of two light antiaircraft guns (Bofors) at Liberty Corner. Though the limited space available prevented the demonstration from being given in real action positions, it was very enlightening, and the public were impressed by the manoeuvrability of the guns and tlie efficiency of their crews. Great interest was taken in the signalling display, with the latest Army equipment and the use of carrier pigeons, by a team of W.A.A.C.’s at a point in Lambton Quay opposite the Government Building, and the opportunity was given many people at the Dixon Street reserve,, opposite the Opera House, to see infantry handling all manner of weapons, including mortars and Bren guns. At each demonstration point in the city an officer was,present to explain by medium of a loudspeaker installation, the nature of the military exercises being carried out. ’