LONDON VICTIMS OF AIR RAIDS

Southland Times, Issue 24240, 25 September 1940, Page 4

LONDON VICTIMS OF AIR RAIDS

Appeal For Relief

Funds

POOR RESPONSE IN SOUTHLAND

SUPPORT FOR WORTHY OBJECT URGED

The public response in Southland to the appeal for funds for the province’s share of New Zealand’s contribution of £lOO,OOO for the relief of distress among London air raid victims has not been good; in 10 days only £272/14/1 has been contributed. This compares unfavourably with the response to the Southland fighter plane appeal and the patriotic authorities' are addressing a request to the public to support the present worthy object with as much enthusiasm as they gave to the earlier effort. Southland’s quota for the initial contribution from New Zealand is about £l5OO, but it is felt that the fund should not rest at that total.

The appeal for assistance for the heroic Londoners who are passing through a terrifying ordeal is one which has captured the imagination of persons in other centres of New Zealand, and funds have been subscribed generously. In several centres the district quota was reached within a few days and contributions are still pouring in. It is evident that Southland has so far been left behind in its response to this appeal, but the patriotic officials feel confident that when the importance of raising money is fully realized the province will rise to the occasion, A fund will be opened today at the office of The Southland Times and all contributions will be acknowledged by the editor. Contributions are being received by the treasurer of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council (Mr W. F. Sturman) and will be acknowledged in these columns. URGENCY EMPHASIZED “No cause could have greater appeal,” declared Mr William Grieve, chairman of the executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council, last night when commenting on the decision of The Southland Times to conduct a newspapei’ appeal for funds, “I am sure that all citizens will be anxious to show their sympathy for the brave Londoners in a practical manner and I would like to emphasize that in an appeal like this one he gives twice who gives quickly.” Mr Grieve added that the first instalment of the £lOO,OOO being contributed by New Zealand had already been despatched to London. The provincial councils in New Zealand were asked to find £25,000 and Southland’s quota was £lsoo'. That amount, he added, was the first contribution, as it was expected that a more or less continuous appeal would be made. “As long as the air raids continue to take toll of London property so will it be necessary for all Britons to do their share in alleviating the distress,” he said. “The need is urgent and the money, to be effective, must be found quickly.”

SOUTHLAND SUBSCRIPTIONS The subscriptions so far received by the treasurer of the fund (Mr W. F.

RESPONSE IN OTHER CENTRES An excellent response has been made in northern centres. In Masterton, a district much smaller in size than Southland, a sum of £1025 was subscribed in six days. Wellington’s quota was £3000; it was subscribed in two days. 'Of that amount the Wellington City Council gave £5OO. In Auckland on Saturday the sum of £6053 had been subscribed. The Southland fund will benefit by £2O from a donation of £5OO given by Woolworths (N.Z.) Limited, and by a larger amount from a donation of £lOOO given by the Bank of New Zealand for distribution among the 11 provincial concils. The fund in Christchurch had reached a total of £3OOO at the beginning of this week.

Sturman) are:— £ s d “Anonymous” 100 0 0 Isla Bank Patriotic Committee 58 3 6 Opio Ex-Pupils’ Association 16 4 10 Glenham and South Wyndham School Children 16 0 5 Mr J. S. Brass 10 10 0 “J. Sonboy” 5 0 0 Two Little Pakehas (Maureen Liddell and Ruth Graeve) 2 15 0 F.N. 2 2 0 Misses Irving (Roslyn Bush) 2 0 0 “Helper” 10 0 Winton Patriotic Association, — Linen bags 4 10 0 Copper trail 3 8 4 “John” 50 0 0 “Sympathy” 10 0 TOTAL £272 14 1