The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1915. ORGANISED HELP.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1915. ORGANISED HELP.

At the send-off to the N'ew Plymouth iliatf of recruits for the 'Tenth Reinforcements on Monday night, the Mayor (Mr. C. Burgess), made a stirring appeal to those who ''stay behind," to work every day and all the day to raise funds for the wounded. He rightly said that there was a wide field for workers, and that no girl, woman, or man need be idle. There is not only this field awaiting to be exploited, but the duty of undertaking a thoroughly organised financial campaign is absolutely imperative. Those who are blessed with a good share of this world's goods can mostly be relied on to give generous help, though there are cases in which some who can well afford to be liberal are the reverse, but we can thankfully say that the number of these miserly

souls is very lew. It is not, however, as to tile more wealthy class that there need be much concern felt, for they have shown in a conspicuous manner how they can rise to the occasion. The real work that is awaiting all who will lend a hand is that of an organised canvassing from house to house in order to collect the small amounts which in the aggregate will amount to large sums. The Mayor pointed out that the borough of New Plymouth contained about eight thousand people, and he considered that on a fair estimate one-half of these could afford one shilling a week, producing, in the aggregate, £2OO weekly, or £IO,OOO in a year. Possibly it is not unreasonable to assume that the average donation might be set down at a shilling, but it is very doubtful if half the population could be relied on to that extent. What seems to be needed is common action between the lady members of the various Patriotic Societies and Leagues with the object, of enrolling a large band of collectors willing to undertake the work of the preliminary canvass and that of the subsequent weekly collections. The amount asked for should not necessarily be a shilling, but a larger or smaller sum in keeping with the circumstances of each individual. In order to reach the considerable number *of unmarried men, who might naturally be expected to donate larger sums than those having a wife and family, the campaign should be made to cover this class, although it would necessitate visiting all the business establishments, factories, and employers of labor. 'Possibly, in the case of the latter class, the employers might be induced to act as collectors from the men. It is a case of everyone having to do what they can to help, so that it is unlikely employers would decline to assist in this way. When it is considered iiow great are the sacrifices that the manhood of the country is making in going forth to face the dangers of the battlefields, those who stay at home must surely feel that they cannot do enough for those who are in the fighting line. It would redound to the honor of this district if some such scheme as is outlined above were earned out in a whole-hearted way that would cheer our boys at the front, and assure for them a certainty of financial assistance on their return, if they need it —as many will. Experience has proved that it is of no use relying on an adequate supply of contributions to he sent in by individuals to a central office. Nothing but a weekly collection will meet the case, and it is urged that the matter be taken in hand as soon as possible so that the organisation of the collectors may be made as complete and •effective as possible. As the Mayor has made the suggestion it would be only fitting that the Mayoress should convene ■a meeting with a view to further action. The weekly collection is working well m Waitara and elsewhere, so that it may confidently be expected that it would prove a success in New Plymouth. It ir, as the Mayor said, the small things that count, and the weekly contributions of small coins that would never be missed would be the means of doing incalculable service in the highest and best form of patriotic effort, except that of fighting under 'the flag. The Mayor's appeal should find a response in every true woman's heart