The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE THURSDAY, AUGUST 17th, 1916. “AT LEAST BUY ONE.”

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 17 August 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17th, 1916. “AT LEAST BUY ONE.”

(With which is incorporated The Tai-h-ape Post and Waimarino News.)

“At least buy one’ ’ i s the last echoing refrain of a half-page notification, in this issue, on a very important aspect of the eight million War Loan that the Government is raising from New Zealand people. It is an appeal to buy at least one loan certificate, which involves the insignificant outlay of 'sixteen shillings, but it must be very evident that such an amount cannot be much more than the drop in the ocean. The Minister of Finance is anxious that the spirit of patriotism may find means of asserting itself in those who are not rich, a s well as in those who are; in those who cannot go into the trenches and fight as well as in those who can and do. The Minister knew the patriotic fervour of the people; it needed no appraising, and he instituted the one pound certificate in the raising of the money that is as necessary as men to win the war, so that almost every man in the Dominion could have an opportunity of saying, “I couldn’t go and fight, but I have done my little bit in the next best way.” We know there are hundreds of men on farms and on stations a good way back, as well as in sawmills and on bush work who will shrink from marching up to the Post Office counter and asking for the War Loan certificates they feel they can take m order to make the work of war shorter for their mates in the trenches. We appeal to station holders, farmers, men employed by them, by doing as other employers are doing. One local body has already announced that it will purchase any amount of certificates its employees ask for, and allow the men to pay for them at the rare of five per cent per month; that is a shilling) on each certificate each month. So. that if a man takes up twenty certificates he will pay one pound per month until the whole amount is paid, and he becomes the possessor of his national securities. Some such method of enabling men on way back stations in this district’ might well be put into practice, and our County Councils and other local bodies would be doing a patriotic work, almost equal to going to the front, if they would follow the example of the Westland County' Coun cil and interrogate their employees, find what number of certificates each man can well afford to take, and If the men have not the cash available, pay

for the certificates, holding them until

accumulated monthly payments of five per cent., or as arranged, have covered the original cost.

Those who are only able to do their part in. the war by purchasing War Loan certificates, do not pay twenty shillings for a £1 certificate; they only pay sixteen shillings. At the end of five years the Government will pay out twenty shillings, the difference re-

presenting interest paid in advance for the use of the pound. The buyer of ten certificates pays eight pounds for them and receives ten pounds when they are redeemed. So that small investors are not only helping to win me war, but they are also earning a good profit on their investments, one of the best ways that exists for saving money. If parents wish to save for their children, they can secure for if -? child in five years’ time one pound for sixteen shillings invested, knowing the security for their child’s investment is unimpeachable; breaking of banks, collapse of financial or insurance insitutions have no effect on this security. Every pound has at its back the whole public estate, every inch of land that comprises New Zealand and what is thereon. But we do not urge the benefit aspect in purchasing War Loan certificates; there is a sacred, serious, solemn service due to our Empire in its extreme trial, a service that is press ingly incumbent, and indispensable. Tf we who cannot fight fail to perform this service, we are shirkers, just as cowardly, selfish, or guilty as the men able to fight and won’t enlist. Our youngr men in the trenches are calling to us more loudly than ever to contribute the money that must he had to win the war quickly. We have a duty to these men which, if we neglect, we incur a self-mortification that will remain with u g to the end of our days. Our duty is no hardship, but should a little self-abnegation be involved, there is the four shillings added to every sixteen shillings paid to compensate. Our young men have gone; we have sacrificed the best of the country's manhood to save our land from Gcr man domination, with its accompanying horrors, now the time has come for the voluntary service of money. We wanted neither conscription of men or money, but the war must be won; it can be won easily by voluntary enlistment of money if every man does bis duty. Let no man think thi s need for using our money to win the war doesn’t concern him; with our birth came our obligations to our country, and it is only the true man or patriot who honourably surrenders those obligations at the end of his days; the man who has the comforting; consciousness that his duty has been done manfully and as well as he could do it. The sixteen shillings a poor man may use to fight his country’s battle s is just as great a monument to his patriotism as the thousand pounds worth of bonds taken up by the rich, and possibly a much greater, for this War Loan offers ■one of the best investments a rich man can have in which to put his surplus riches. He may make no sacrifice, but merely avail himself of the opportunity to make more money. It is the masse? of the people that cannot go to Die front who are given a chance to do “their little bit,” and so show to the world and particularly to our enemies that we are as determined to a man in finding money as in contributing our best lives. We trust it will not be possible to say that there are more ana worse shirkers among those who cannot fight than among those who can. As applications close, according' to notification, on the 21st August, only nvo more days, it is a matter of urgency that local bodies, station owners, and others who are disposed to assist their employees in purchasing War Loan certificates should get their arrangements in hand promptly. It is everybody’s duty to buy a s many War Loan certificates as they can, but they should “At least buy one,” and buy it promptly to be in time.

[Since the above was in type, the Mayor, Mr A. L. Arrowsmith, notifies that a public meeting Is to be held in the Town Hall on Friday evening, to urge upon all residents the necessity of investing in the .War Loan Certificates.)