The Choronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1913.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 August 1915, Page 2

The Choronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1913.

WOU.NJDJiD. bOLDJJiItS' FUND. One of the brightest patriotic ventures yet brought forward in aid. ot Australian wounded soldiers is that promoted by the Commonwealth 1 atnotic Playing Card Association (nonprofit). For tlieso cards the kings, queens, knaves, aces and jokers have been specially designed by -Messrs JJ. 11. Souter, Sydney Lie Smith and llarry Julius,' who have handed over then - designs and copyrights treo of charge to the Association. The germ ol the idea, originally that of a Queensland woman, '.Mrs 0. A. Clarke, of Brisbane, was communicated to a few Sydney men, who With the artists named lormed an association to place the cards before the public, and the result is a beautiful set ol cards equally valuable both' as souvenirs and for actual use The syndicate m 1 raining its articles of association took care to uliesely (Safeguard uie lunds derived from the sale of cards, and yet has left Itself free to assist any institute or hospital .which cares lor the wounded in a practical way after their diecharge by the miiuary authorities, it may also erect and maintain its own institutions if thought necessary, and perhaps most important ol all it is free to devote its funds to any improved scheme whereby the incapacitated and maimed men, who have lost their chief earning power in serving King and country, may be assisted to become self-supporting, and so saved iroin the odium of charity. Every member of the Association gives liis services free so that the -whole of the prolits will bo available lor the patriotic objects of the movement. There is little doubt that tJie beauty and humour ol the designs will immediately commend themselves to all patriotic people; the kings are those of England, Russia, Italy ana heroic,, Belgium, and are beautiful in coloring and excellent in likeness, four allegorical figures denote the queen: Britain as Britannia, whose shield is the Uniou Jack, and whose background is the patient watching Dreadnoughts, is the queen of hearts.; l«'ranco (spade 6), a graceful figure, on whose robes appears the JL' leu.r de Lys, brandishes alott the tricolour, while beyond her looms the wonderful 76's; Russia (c'ubs), lierc£ aii(f brooding, likewise flaunts her national.colors, and is flanked on either side by her wondrous cavalry; and, last of all, pathetic Belgium (diamonds), sword and shield in hand, proclaims to the world her glory and despair. The ruins of Rheims Cathedral loim.s an effective background. The humou'i' ol the pack is portrayed in the knaves which include the Crown Prince ! (hearts); the much-battered Turk (diamonds); Francis Josef, the aged dupo of Germany (spades); and, lastly, the a fell enemy, Kaiser Willielm, who fittingly represents clubs A Red Cross shows in the ace of hearts, while an Iron Cross decorates with a brooding Co; man figure that of spades, and the jokers will be found to include 31r Soutor's famous cat, a British lion trampling underfoot the enemies .of justice and freedom, and Father Time lending hie all-conquering aid to, those who figh for freedom and the oppressed.