Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1943. GREAT EFFORT STILL NEEDED.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 June 1943, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1943. GREAT EFFORT STILL NEEDED.

TN" tile Wairarapa, as far as can be judged from figures available at the moment, the Third Liberty- Loan campaign, continues to make excellent headway. On a comparative basis subscriptions from this district seem to be well ahead of the Dominion average, but this of course should be regarded as an incentive to do everything that is possible towards lifting, the loan to something substantially in excess of its proposed amount and certainly not as a reason for slackening oft at any point.

The total subscription meantime from the Dominion as a whole leaves a good deal to be desired both as regards the amount raised and the number of subscribers. . Up to last night the totals were £15,622,475 from 31,141 subscribers. Since only fourteen days are left, from and including Monday next, of the period appointed for the raising of the loan and considerably more than half the total amount has yet to be found, the need for accelerated and increased effort is written clearly. With a recorded total to date of 31,141 subscribers—even when allowance is made for the fact that this figure does not include many who are contributing to the cost of the war by making deposits in national war savings accounts—it is plain that the need and the desirability of making small investments in the loan, by the purchase of bonds or stock, is not yet appreciated by any means as widely as it ought to be.

It is, wholly improbable that this hanging back is due to a lack of patriotism or unwillingness to support our fighting forces. Every- New Zealander ■worthy of the name is more than willing to do everything in his or her power to secondhand support the efforts and sacrifices of the valiant soldiers, sailors and airmen on whom we are ■wholly dependent for our continued! existence in conditions that will bear contemplation.

There is no doubt, however, that it is perfectly within the power of many more people than have yet subscribed to the loan to do so. The real difficulty probably is that of inducing a departure from habit and accustomed outlook in those who have long regarded investment in a Government loan as something wholly outside their province.

The remedy is that people should think for themselves and determine individually and independently Avhether it is or is not practicable for them to subscribe to the loan. Those who decide that it is in fact possible for them to make some investment in the loan can have no difficulty in reaching the further decision that it is their duty to do so forthwith. It happens that this duty coincides Avith the interest of members of the community generally. It is beyond question that in addition to providing the means of meeting Avar costs, the loan can only serve effectively its secondary purpose of setting limits to inflation if it is built up by the greatest possible number of small subscriptions.