NATIONAL EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1940, Page 4

NATIONAL EFFORT

THE FIGHTING SERVICES APPEAL LIGHT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. GUARANTEE OF FULL BENEFIT TO TROOPS. Although the collectors of the Fighting Services Welfare Appeal Fund are on the whole being met well and generously here and in other parts of the Dominion, some uncertainty appears still to exist as to the nature of the fund and the circumstances in which it is being raised. Members of the local organising committee are therefore anxious that it should be made known once again that the Fighting Services Welfare Appeal is an authorised national effort on behalf of the members of the fighting forces of the Dominion. The sum of £lOO,OOO that is being raised—probably by the time this statement is in print about one-third of that amount will be in hand—will be paid into the National Patriotic Fund and will be expended, under the supervisory authority of the National Patriotic Council, by the Y.M.C.A. and the Salvation Army in providing comforts and amenities for the members of our fighting forces in training camps, at the front and elsewhere. The members of the voluntary national committee organising the appeal are: Joint chairmen. Sir James Grose and Colonel G. W. P. Grattan. Organisation committee: Mr R. M. Brasted. Colonel Walls. Messrs C. S. Falconer and H. D. Grocott. Finance committee: Sir James Grose, Colonel Kemp, Mr H. W. Kersley, Brigadier Gibbs and Mr P. E. Pattrick. Publicity committee: Colonel Burton, Mr J. M. A. Hott, Brigadier Hayes, Messrs C. R. Edmond, C. E. Wheeler and E. A. Clark. Joint treasurers: Sir James Grose, Mr P. E. Pattrick and Colonel Kemp. Organising secretaries: Mr .). 11. Dick and Brigadier Gibbs. The administrative costs of raising the fund are very light. For instance it is computed that the administrative costs of raising the first £22,000 were only £52. The voluntary collectors who are this week canvassing the Masterton district are all of them provided with official badges or cards. No other Patriotic Fund collection will be made in the Masterton district during the present week.

The Masterton campaign headquarters of the Fighting Services Welfare appeal has received a donation of £l, with no indication of the donor’s identity other than the initials “A.M.H.” The inscription on the accompanying card reads, “This £1 is for General Freyberg’s boys and good luck.” In view of the impossibility of sending the usual official receipt to this donor, the committee desires to make, this acknowledgement. COLLECTION TO DATE DISTRICT TOTAL £lOBB. District donations to the Fighting Services Welfare Fund now total £lOBB 9s 9d.