FIGHTING PLANES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21194, 17 August 1940, Page 6

FIGHTING PLANES

VALUE UP TO £IOO,OOO INTERNAL FUNDS TO BE USED (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Saturday The Government is to facilitate the remittance of money collected in New Zealand for a gift to the Royal Air Force of fighting aeroplanes to the value of £IOO,OOO (N.Z.). This was announced last night by the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash. Mr Nash referred to the spontaneous recognition by all sections of the community of the magnificent results achieved by the Royal Air Force against the common enemy and the desire being expressed throughout the Dominion of recognising this in a tangible manner. Already in one district funds were being collected to provide money for aeroplanes to be donated to the Royal Air Force, and other districts had expressed similar desires, he said. He appreciated the splendid spirit behind these offers. Depleting Sterling Funds The Minister drew attention to the fact, however, that while the gift of aeroplanes of this nature was a very acceptable offer, it did not in fact provide additional equipment as the entire sources of supply were being used to capacity, and moreover by drawing on New Zealand’s overseas funds it used up the money otherwise available for New Zealand’s war expenditure, which was being lent by the United Kingdom Government. Mr Nash said that any funds which might be collected in excess of the £IOO,OOO would be earmarked either toward the cost of New Zealand’s share of the Empire Air Training Scheme in Canada—for after all properly trained pilots were as necessary as properly equipped machines -—or for the purchase of war machines for the defence of New Zealand. Mr Nash expressed the hope that there would be a very generous response to the appeal throughout New Zealand.

MEAT BOARD FUNDS £30,000 GIFT SUGGESTED (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) OAMARU, Friday It was reported at a meeting of the Waitaki Freezing Company that the New Zealand Meat Board had accumulated funds of £65,000. It was suggested that the Farmers* Union ask the Meat Board to donate £30,000 of these funds as a token of the producers’ appreciation of the Air Force, to replace planes lost. The resolution was passed by the Farmers’ Union today.