PATRIOTIC APPEAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 October 1940, Page 6

PATRIOTIC APPEAL

CAMPAIGN FOR £1,000,000 MASTERTON DISTRICT EFFORT. IMMEDIATE ACTION BEING TAKEN. Although there was only a small attendance at a meeting held in the Social Hall, Municipal Buildings, last night, called by the Masterton District Patriotic Committee to consider the action to be taken regarding the £1,000,000 patriotic appeal, it was agreed to proceed with the appeal, forthwith. The chairman of the committee, Mr T. Jordan, presided. Major J. Abel, Dominion organiser of the appeal, who was present, addressed the meeting on the object in view. Mr Jordan said that at a recent meeting of the Masterton District Patriotic Committee it was considered that there were many reasons why the appeal should be postponed until after Christmas, chiefy on account of the financial drain on the people on the land at the present time. On the other hand, there was a publicity' campaign being conducted in connection with the appeal at the present time. Locally, they had an art union and there was another in .Wellington, both of which could be run now. At the meeting of the patriotic committee referred to it was considered that the question of what steps should be taken and when the appeal should be made should be referred to the public. He had to apologise for the absence of the public that night. Mr Jordan expressed his pleasure at the presence of Major Abel, the organiser. In reply to a question by Mr E. M. Hodder, Major Abel said there had been no question elsewhere of a postponement in making the appeal. He said the interest in many districts was most enthusiastic. Any particular effort on the part of the farmers might be withheld until February. The appeal would be suspended at the end of November, so that the retailers would have December free. No set time was made for the recommencement of the appeal after Christmas; some districts were starting in January and others in February. He hoped to reach the objective of £1,000,060 in six months. Giving a broad outline of the campaign, Major Abel said he firmly believed that the amount in view would be needed to meet requirements and would be wanted before the end of next year. The Wellington province’s quota would be about £200,000. He detailed the many calls that would be made on the funds, pointing out that by the end of next year New Zealand would have 55,000 men overseas and in March next 44,000 men under Territorial training in New Zealand. He stressed the necessity for providing recreational huts and sporting gear. In the last wear £5.000,000 was spent in four years. The three main objectives of the £1,000,000 appeal were the relief of distress in the United Kingdom and the Empire overseas, comforts for New Zealand troops at home and overseas and rehabilitation. If they were going to do as much as they did in the last war, they must have the money aimedj at. He was confident that the £1,000,000 objective would be reached. He was not making any plans to press the business people; he was leaving that to each community, but he was aiming at getting the masses to contribute. New Zealand paid out in salaries and wages £10,000,000 a month, which worked out at about £500,000 each day. If every person gave two days’ pay during the next six months there would be no difficulty in getting the £1,000.000. Arrangements had been made for the Air 'Force Band to make a four weeks’ tour of New Zealand in aid of the fund. The campaign would be intense until the end of November.

It was reported that a start had already been made in furtherance of the appeal in Pahiatua, Eketahuna, Mauriceville and Martinborough. Mr Hodder said he and ’he believed others had been under the impression that the whole campaign was to be conducted in onp month, but Major Abel had explained that that was not the case. That overcame the principal objection that had been raised by the Masterton Committee. He moved that the appeal should proceed, the committee to draw up a plan of campaign. Mr Norman Lee seconded the motion.

Another speaker expressed his view that the best time to make an appeal to the farming community would be in February. The motion was carried unanimously.

A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Major Abel for coming to Masierton and attending the meeting.