PATRIOTIC FUND

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 256, 8 November 1939, Page 3

PATRIOTIC FUND

GO VERNOR-CENER AL’S SPEECH BROADCAST LAST NIGHT ** Special to News. WELLINGTON, tliis day. > The following speech was broadcast hy His Excellency the Governor-Men era I. last night:-*-- , 'l’llis evening I speak to you as eliaitinan of the National Patriotic Fuiu. which is placed under public .supervision and control.' On previous occasions during my tenure of ofiiee as Governor-General of this Dominion, I. have appealed to your generosity in connection with the Health Stamp Campaign and .in connection with the King George V National Memorial Kund. Your gracious response to those appeals, which I now most readily acknowledge, was really splendid. I believe, however, that this is the most important appeal of any. I have mady, and I feel that my call to you now will meet with an even greater response. In these circumstances of war in which we find ourselves, we are prepared to la»e resolutely all the resultant sacrifices. Our entire resources el men and material may yet l>c marshalled before we can safely say thav we have preserved those principles of civilised government upon which alone permanent- peace on earth may be established. New Zealand, in common with her sister members ol the British Commonwealth of Nations, lias embarked upon this noble purpose with magniliecnt determination, and 1 am aware that you will not count the cost. The National Patriotic Kund is an essential part of that cost, its creation and; the wise expenditure of moneys subscribed mean so much in maintaining tlie high morale of our Forces, flow valuable in war that high standard is, none knows (letter than those who have the responsibility ol leading our armies in the held. The thought behind the gilts, the contact these mean with the people at home, in the far North or. the far South, or over the seas, add more to the spirit and endeavour ol our sailors, soldiers and airmen than can be expressed adequately in words. And in this connection I must also mention our prisoners el war-—those ol our brave men whp, as a. result, ol too dose contact with the enemy. 01 thrmndi misfortune, now find! themselves in the prison camps ol the enemy. Most ot you have some knowledge ol the ilisiomfprts and privations sultered by imii* soldiers in the last

wa r. Our men in camps here and already serving abroad, in their sacrifices lor democracy will hr railed upon to endure haitlsliip, lace priils hravc great dangers. To them, therefore, we who i rniain behind owe not only our grati tilde. Hut a tangible expression ol that gratitude. We owe it to them to tiling a measure ol eomlort and elien to a lightening ol their burden. It is for tlieSe that I appeal. I can give you- the confident assurance that your gilts will reach these lor whom they are intended in the most ai rentable manner aucl in the wav thc\ will hi 1 me.st appreciated. 'I he National Patriotic I' tiiul Hoard has, j,s the title suggests, a natiomd responsibility. It is charged with the duty of securing those funds and goods which will he spent or distributed through National agencies such as UnJoint (ouncil ol the Order ol St. Jo-lin and the New Zealand I’ed Cross Society, the Y..M.C.A.. the Salvation Army, and other organisations operating on a national scale as well as by direct action. The National I'hind now established will ii,ot- ill any way conflict with, hut, on the other hand, will he entirely supplementary to efforts made by tin* eleven Provincial ('moeils. l-teps are being now taken by means of a conIcieiice of Provincial Councils and the National Hoard and National Coum.il Lp secure effective co-operation between the National Heard and these Provincial Councils. I desire to make it clear that there will he no other element in the relations between the National Hoard and the Provincial Councils than that ol complete eo-operat i.o-n. A i ready the National Hoard has made expenditure and engaged in work for the Porees in camp whereby very necessary comforts and amenities have been and are being supplied. Further calls for slidi mid wider work can hardly yet be estimated, and we can onlv be prepared for whatever need

may arise. 1 am . therefore asking for ail immediate suhseriptipn of a generous nature so that this work may go on steadily to the attainment of its objective. \ Donations to the Midland Patriotic Fund may he paid through your .own bank to the credit of the National Patriotic Funil at the .Reserve Rank. Your own branch hank will remit your subscription, because of the generous 'courtesy of the Associated Bunks, free of. exchange. Alternatively, your donations may he made through the •i'Uitcr .of any newspaper, paid into any branch of the Post Office Savingsbank on your instruction, to remit it to the credit of the National Patriotic Fund Board, or sent diieet to the Reserve Rank to be credited to the Board, That your response will be generous I' know. .1 am confident that you fully appreciate the sacrifices our men are making. .1 kumv you sympathise with them—that you are anxious to show your sympathy—anxious to brighten their jot. I feel, I need not stress the matter, I know from my own experience of them that the people of New Zealand —one and all—will make every’ reasonable sacrifice within their power in order that assistance and comfort may lie provided for the defenders of their homes, their country and their Empire.. I thank you.