PAEROA POPPIES SALE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4401, 10 April 1922, Page 1

PAEROA POPPIES SALE.

WEAR ONE ON ANZAC DAY. New Zealand’s people have said that they will never forget the men who gave their lives in the great war for freedom. Therefore memorials are being built in many towns and villages, and the names* of the fallen are being inscribed on stone or meta* as a perpetual inspiration of patriotism tp. new generations* New Zealand’s people have .also,, said that they, will never forget the . soldiers who survived the war. When they were fighting far away for the State they no doubt found comfort in the promises of the defended that, as far as the resources of the country would permit, the defenders would not have cause to regret their patriotism. Yet numbers of these defenders and their dependants are suffering much anxiety to-day because the “ financial 1 , stringency” has .thrown the breadwinners cut of employment. This heavy thought weighs darkly on their minds and hearts: " If work is not available for us In summer, how shall! we. fare in winter Will New Zealand’s people allow misery to sodden and sour the lives of returned men eager to work in peace for, the country which they helped to save in war? • , One means of easing this hardship has been projefited by the New Zea-, land Returned Soldiers’ Association with a Dominion plan for the sale of poppies on the day before Anzac Day. These poppies were made by chil-' dren in the, devastated areas of France. Part, of the proceeds from the sale of these pretty artificial red flowers will go for the benefit of those children, and the balance will be used to give relief to unemployed ex soldiers and their families. DETAILS OF THE PLAN. The Poppy Day plan was fully considered by the Dominion'Executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. at its rec,ent meeting, and arrangements were made to enable nearly 400,000 patriotic New Zealanders to wear a poppy on Anzac Day. The French Children’s League is supplying 396,000 small poppies, re- 1 pl leas of the Flanders poppy, to be sold before Anzac Day., and also 3564 large silk poppies for wreaths arid, crosses.

The scheme placed before the executive provides that the poppies shall be distributed to the districts in proportion to population. The district secretaries will allocate the poppies to the various towns.. Wellington will get 122,00,0. The large poppies will be sold to the 300 largest schools in the Dominion for school wreaths to be' placed bn monuments. Twelve poppies will be required tc make a wreath,, and the charge will be 2s' each, or 24s for the wreath. The small poppies will be sold at Is each. The gross proceeds, if the poppies are sold, will be over £20,000, The standing sub-committee recommended that the tnoney derived from the‘Poppy Day effort, after paying all expenses, should be devoted to soldier unemployment relief during the coming winter. “Already there are indications that many of our comrades will have a struggle to ex’st during the coming winter,” stated the sub committee, “ and it is imperative that some scheme should be prepared to cope with hardship among soldiers. The net amount of money gathered in a district would be spent on unemployment relief In that district. The N.ZiRS.A. would work irr conjunction with the Public Works Department and local bodies in all cases, and the allocation of funds' in a district would be determined by the N.Z.R.SA. after consultation with the local associations, the Department, or the local bodies“It is suggested that the unemployed soldiers should obtain relief in the following order:

(a) Married men with children and no pension. (b) Married men with children and a small pension. (e) Married men and single men with dependants. (d) Single men without dependants. “It is felt by the committee that the maximum amount of good tp the maximum number of soldiers, will be done if the money is devoted to this purpose; m'oreoven, the absorption of as much soldier unemployment as possible will react beneficially on general unemployment throughout the Dominion.” New Zealanders, your soldiers have won the right to expect you to wear remembrance poppies on Anzac Day. The above is an extract from "Quick March,” the Returned Sol-: diers’ journal. ( ' ■ ' PAEROA PLANS. The matter also came up for jdiscussion at the annual meeting p& the Paeroa Returned Soldiers’ Association. Mr S. J. Bishop said Paeroa District High School children hadl already sold a number, and the Welder girls of the school would, wfllfingly sell more. Major Edwards said the Mayoress had also promised to arrange for} the sale of poppies. The offers were appreciated, and accepted, on the motion of Mr Walmsley. A minute to this effect was proposed by Captain E. A. Porritt, and seconded by Mr S. J. BishitopMembers were appreciative l of ithe fact that teh headmaster fMr G. JITaylor) had already taken: steps matter.