£2000 Raised For Patriotic Funds At Inglewood

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1940, Page 32 (Supplement)

£2000 Raised For Patriotic Funds At Inglewood

The record of the Inglewood town and district patriotic committee can be considered to measure up to, and perhaps exceed, the best of any New Zealand town of similar size. During the few months of its existence, the committee has arised about £2000. This result is by no means a "flash in the pan" effort, for the system of weekly conti'ibutions in vogne at Inglewood, ensures that somewhere about £2000 a year will be collected from this source. The Mayor, Mr. R. B. Sutton, is chairman of the committee, and associated with him is Mr. F. A. Laurenee, chairman of the Inglewood County Council. Under their leadership, the resources of town and country have been carefully organised. and it can be said that the town and district are supporting to the utrnost the men overseas. The secretary is Mr. T. A. Jones, county clerk, the treasurer, Mr. J. A. Ross, town clerk, and the organising secretary for the weekly contributions scheme is Mr. C. D. Lowden. The first appeal. the combined services fighting fund, was addressed to the town and district on a voluntary contributions basis, before the adoption of the weekly scheme. As a result the excellent total of about £400 was raised. When the sick and wounded fund came before the town and district. the weekly system of giving was in progress, and from this accumulated fund £400 was given to the appeal. Voluntary contributions were also invited, and a further £700 was gained from this source. making the total contribution to the appeal about £1100.

Recently, the accumulated weekly contributions paid £300 into the Taranaki provincial patriotic fund. At a recent date, the committee still had over £100 in the bank as the nucleus to its next contribution to the Taranaki fund. Besides raising money for the national and provincial patriotic appeals, the town and district have taken steps to sce no soldier leaves for overseas without heing farewelled and made a presentation. Money raised and expended in this and other ways brings the committee's general effort to a very creditable sum. A considerable factor in the success attcnding the commiltee's efforts has been the whole-hearted support accorded by the country districts, which have been untiring in their determination to assist the fund. Twelve district committees have been active in organising money-raising projects in their areas, including a variety of enternrises.

At July 31, the weekly contributions scheme had no fewer than 1420 subscribers, the growth in membership being progressive as inslanceS by the fact that there was 167 subscribers added during June and 183 in July. The contributions take the form of orders on factory cheques and wages, while a large number make their contributions voluntarily each week, preferring not to be tied down to any specified weekly arrangement. The district also contributed about £70 to the money raised by the raffle of a saloon motor car in Taranaki.