PATRIOTIC SEALS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20119, 13 December 1939, Page 3

PATRIOTIC SEALS

CAMPAIGN FOR FUNDS NATION-WIDE APPEAL GRATITUDE TO SOLDIERS EARLY RESPONSE ASKED (Spocial to the Horaltl.) WELLINGTON, this day. Within the next few days almost every householder and businessman in New Zealand will have received a communication from the National Patriotic Fund Board, containing numbers of seals which may be purchased by the addressees at a cost of Id per'seal. The movement is sponsored by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, in his capacity of chairman of the board. Those wishing to contribute to the fund through the purchase of seals are asked to make their response immediate, if possible, as there is an urgent need for money for pressing objectives. December 22 is the date fixed for the final receipt of donations. Househblders are invited to buy a minimum of 2s Gd worth of the seals, and the initial supply to businessmen will be equivalent to a value of 10s. The appeal has been made possible by the co-operation ol' a large number of Wellington people in the preparation of circulars' It is felt that the effort will appeal to everyone as deserving the fullest support, and that the public will respond not only to the definite need for funds to assist the men in service Overseas and in this country, but also to the ccrt|iinty that the money donated will be put to the best possible use, with the smallest possible deductions for expenses. Immediate Action Necessary Discussing the necessity for immediate action, a member of the National Patriotic Fund Board. Mr. R. H. Nimmo, yesterday referred to the fact that New Zealanders were active in many phases of the war effort of the Empire, and that in the Royal Air Force in particular men from this country were making their presence felt. Before the outbreak of the war, New Zealanders had comprised one in 12 of the flying personnel of the R.A.F., arid the contribution of this group of young men was something of which the Dominion could well be proud. The fact (hat New Zealand fliers were in the forefront of the Royal Air Force operations, as indicated by the exploits of Flying-Officer Kain, Wellington, and of many other Dominion fliers who had taken part in fighting raids over enemy objectives, naturally carried its special hazards, Mr. Nimmo pointed out. Recently the newspapers had_ published the photograph* of FlyingOfiiccr Mack, Wellington, who had been interned in Belgium after a forced landing there. This officer would have access to supplies of clothing and food, and could look forward to a moderately comfortable, if exceedingly monotonous, existence from now to the close of the wfir. Less Fortunate Experiences On the other hand, there were .men from the Dominion who had been less fortunate, and in pushing the R.A.F attacks home over enemy territory, had suffered the bad luck to make forced landings there and enter camps for prisoners of war. These men would have what they stood up in, by way of clothes, and their lo\ would ’be unhappy indeed if there were no organisation intent upon seeing that they lacked for nothing that could alleviate the rigours of imprisonment. In all the fields of war effort, too, there was a demand for the supply of comforts and amenities which were outside the scope of the Governments funds. 'Only through public .generosity could this demand be met, and there should be no fear of failure on the part of the public, so long as the young men of this country were making their vastly greater sacrifices in the nation's cause.

“The sacrifice of our young manhood places a grave responsibility on all of'us who remain in this Dominion, and, as true Britons, we do recognise that the least we can do is to emulate as far as possible, the glorious example our men in the King’s uniform are offering,” said Mr. Nimmo. “Having that example in mind, it is with absolute confidence that the National Patriotic Fund Board appeals to you to give tangible expression to your natural appreciation.