POPPY DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1928, Page 1

POPPY DAY

BOROUGH COUNCIL IMPOSES CONDITIONS. AUCKLAND. April 18. In its gratuitous work of organising the annual Poppy Day collection for the relief of returned ex-soldiers in distress the Returned Soldiers’ Association was ysterday given an unexpected rebuff.

The Town Clerk of Mount Eden telephoned an intimation that the sale of poppies within the borough would not he permitted except on conditions that the amount collected was iclf in the hands of the council for spending within the borough, and that the sum ol Co os was allowed from the proceeds of the sales as payment for the services anti expenses of the organiser ol the collection. It wa.s stated that in administering the tnnd. the council would subsidise Hie amount realised from the sale ol poppies.

With Poppy Day only forty-eight hours away, the belated advice of these conditions has caused the Returned Soldiers’ Association and those connected with it in organising the day. some concern. Yesterday they were at a loss to know what to do. “The association cannot possibly agree to any such conditions with regard to Poppy Day.” said Mr Sinclair Reid, president of the association. “As every one knows the Puppy Day fund is administered hv the trustees, independent of Returned Soldiers Association. and as a body, our only connection with the annual appeal is the making arrangements." He did not know yet whether the collection would be made in Mount F.den this year The council was asked in the middle of March whether the collection could be made and the least that might have been done was to have let the R>Aknow earlier of the conditions it sought to impose. .