KING GEORGE FUND

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 85, 27 April 1937, Page 12

KING GEORGE FUND

Moving Appeal by Sir Harry >• Lauder "ALL FULL TOGETHEr A moving appeal for contributions to the King George the Fifth National Memorial Fund Was made by the eminent Scottish comedian, Sir Harry Lauder, at a publie meeting at Taupo. When . Sir Harry learnt of the meeting he threw himself into the cause, and even drew up the wording of the posters which were circulated to eall the meeting. He also contributed £5 towards the fund"I want you thoroughly to understand first and foremost that the money that is gathered for this fund is for use in New Zealand," said Sir Harry. "It is not going anytvhere but in the eounfry it is collectqd in, and it will be made good use of for young lads and la6sies- And there is nothing more beautiful than to go into a boys' camp or 4 girls' Camp aiid see how they arb enjoyiiig themselyes. "I was the meaiis of starting in Bngland, not ih Scotland, the 'White Heather Fund,' so they would kfiow tkere is something Scotoh connected With it, and I was elected as their Honourable Vice-President of the Fund. It commenCed in a very, very sinai! way and now to-day, we take to the camps 150,000 boys and girls. It only goes to show what an effort will do and now a great effort is being put befdre yoU. New Zealand has never failed in anything it has taken in hand and i feel sure that the men and women of New Zealand will put their backs into the scheme. It is gjood, it is for a hoble cause. "The last time I met the King was at Balmoral Castle. I was commanded by the King to entertain his guests and the tenantry on the estate of Balmoral. The last timo I spoke with the King was ihen. He sent for me after the entertainment that night and he tnanked me for entertaiiiing his guests- " /Oome in, Sir Harry,' he said, 'this is the Queen and I— just our two selves. We want to thaiik you for the wonderful entertainment you have given us to-night.' I said 'I ohserved Your Majesty was very much interested, especialiy when I sang 'I lov© a Lassie.' ' He was then ldcated in Scotland, and I had not got through half of the first choius when he glanced at Queen Mary and I saw him slip his hand over her lap and he rubbed her hand while I sang.'.' (Sir Harry then sang the song for his Taupo audience).

"I remember another time I was playing* in the Palace Theatre in London and I got a wire to say that Theii Majesties would occupy the Royal Box that night — that is if they paid for admission. I never have any deadheads coming in to see me." "An appeal for youngsters has always appealed to me, because when that appeal is made to ino I go back to the dayg when I wb 11 years of age, when my father died and left my mother with 7 children, and I was 11 years of age. I had to go and get a job at 11 yeara of age and I was glad td get work to help my mother. I got 2/1 a week and she got 6/- from the Parish for the other six who could not Work, 1/- a week for each child. I have be6n working ©vbr eince. This is the first trip I have evei* had for a holiday in my life and that is why I enjoy it So much. I wdrked in the rfiili froin 6 to 9, 10 to 2, and 3 to 6 for 2/1 per Week. I had a heart above it all and got throuah.

"What are you going to do for these children? You peopl© Who are residential here, get together and collar everybody who comes near the district, the safue as you have collared me- Make them stump up and help. If w© all help one another, and not grouse so much at each other and about each other, we would be all the better situated than we ara to-day. (Applause). "So this is my last night in Taupo. I will be away to-morrow morning. I will be up with the bellbird to-morrow and I will go home and «it by my fireside in Scotland and say to my niece, 'Greta, listen to the bellbird.' I can carry its note away with me all that distance because I love them so much. I love the bush. I love everytbing about New Zealand. I believe I could have come to New Zealand when I was a young man I would never have gone home to Scotland" again, but I am tied so much in Scotland that I canna' leave the old place yet, so that all I have to say to you now is:— " 'I am going away, but I would like to stay longer Avith you, So gqodbye, till me meet agaiu.' "