PATRIOTIC EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 July 1940, Page 4

PATRIOTIC EFFORT

PROVINCIAL FUND DEPLETED NEED OF FURTHER DONATIONS. ACTIVITIES OF RED CROSS SOCIETY. A statement regarding patriotic funds was made this morning by Mr T. Jordan. chairman of the National Patriotic Advisory Council, deputy-chairman of the Wellington Provincial Council and Mayor of Masterton. Mr Jordan’s statement is as follows: "At a conference of the various patriotic councils held in May last it was decided that after the conclusion of the then current appeal made by the National Patriotic Fund Board for the sick and wounded through the medium of the Red Cross Society and the Order of St John no further appeals should be made by the National Board and for the future all patriotic funds should be raised by the provincial councils. The Red Cross and St John appeal has now been closed for time and it is important that the public should know how matters stand at present. The conference agreed that the provincial funds should become responsible for the maintenance and recreation of the forces while in camp in New Zealand, including the provision of sports gear, for the supply of social rooms, etc, in the vicinity of camps and troop stations and for the relief and assistance of members of the forces and their dependants in New Zealand. Since the Flag Day appeal nearly six months ago no appeal has been "made on behalf of the provincial funds anywhere in New Zealand in order that there should be no conflict with the two appeals being made for the National Fund. “A statement submitted to the Provincial Council on Wednesday last by the treasurer revealed that down to June 30 the total receipts of the Wellington Provincial Council had been £10,878 4s 9d of which the Wairarapa district had provided £1,158 2s Id. In materials, equipment, maintenance of clubrooms, etc, more than £7,000 had been spent the balance in hand being £3,638* 15s Id. According to the treasurer’s statement the average expenditure for the past two months had been at the rate of £5OO per week. It is obvious, therefore, that an appeal to the public to augment the provincial funds is urgently necessary. For some time past there has been a thorough searching of this district by the local Red Cross Society for financial assistance and many of the public have contributed to this object in the belief that they were contributing to a patriotic fund of some kind. This is certainly not so. The local Red Cross effort, culminating in the Paddy’s Market on Friday next, is not connected in the slightest degree with war purposes, but merely seeks to provide the society with funds to carry on its ordinary peace time work. In point of fact it has no authority to collect for any other purpose. I am sorry that this has not always been made clear to the public. I should like to urge upon societies, clubs and individuals who are anxious to assist patriotic funds, and I hope they are many, that they should concentrate on raising monej’ to replenish the coffers of the Wellington Provincial Council. The necessary permit for any such effort may be obtained from the chairman of the local authority in which the effort is to be made. This is a very real war effort and funds are urgently needed.”