Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, APRIL 22nd, 1918 RED CROSS FUNDS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7003, 22 April 1918, Page 2

Bay of Plenty Times MONDAY, APRIL 22nd, 1918 RED CROSS FUNDS.

THOSE who attended Mio Town Hall (n Wednesday evening lest to hear Mr C. F. Bickford, vjill understand what was the object of hia visit, end the methods he proposed thouH bo ndopted to raise the funds needed for Red Cross war purpesaj, But fur there who were unable to attend, and i'ur the benefit'of our country rer.dera, it is perhaps necessary to explsin the pro ject mo:e fully. Frier to tfcy W-.r two well-known societies—the St. John Ambulance Association and the British Red Cress Society— v:t?re working separaetly in alleviating suffering, helping tbe sick, and rendering ail in cases of accident. Since tue War commenced they have joined hands foe the purpose of carrying cut the great work which it has cast upon them. Tieee ibligations are manifold and involve a vast expenditure. The whole of the work is volunatry and has coneequeutly to ba supported by "voluntary contributions. Apart from the woik which we generally understand as Hed Cross work are many activities rendered necessary by the War for the comfort and help of tbe soldiers and of the dependants and relatives at horns. These duties—so far bs the Auckland Province is concerned —are largely attended to by the Auckland Women's Patriotic League. Funds are urgently needed for the work. A substantial sum has already bsen raised in the City and now the country district are being appealed to for their quota. Mi Bickford suited us in the capacity of Hon. Financial Organiser, primarly 'for tha two societies which Lave combined fcr war work (the St, John Ambulance atid th ;? British Red Cross). As, however, the work of the Auckland Women's Patriotic League is so closely allied with that of the two societies, 40 per cent of the net arouunt raised will go to the League and 60 per rent to the two other societies conjoined. The result of Mr Bicki'Gid'd visit wbs to forcibly impress upon most of, if not all, those who heard him their plain duty in the mat ter. As he pointed out wo may be tired of appeals and grown weary cf almost ceaseless efforts to help along appeal after appeal,but wa can hardly be as weary aa the man at the front fighting our war as well a 9 bis own and depending entiiely on out effort s to keep him there. If he "slacked" at this critical hour we might betempted to call him'a traitor. It we slack up in our giving we would surely be equally traitorous. Mr Bickford is Icoking for £100,000 from tha Auckland countiy districts, and of this he expects tha Bay of Plenty to raise £25,L'00. Tbe principal method to be adopted to secure this cum is by means cf a "stock drive." Every settler ir the district is to be personally visited and ssked to contribute suiuetfiing in kind—a beast, a saddle, a plough cr any other article about the larm he is prepared to give. On an appointed day he i* tv plac» \ 'v gift cutsiue his gate whers it wiil bs lifted ami driven or cs.it<td to a seltct d centre, wr.ere a great stock ssla is to be held. For the purposes cf tho "stock drive'" each county is divided into convenient districts, l.i this county there are to be two, wit'i.Te L Juk« and Tauranga as the centres. lv connection with the stock s-;le a queen cor;test and carnival is to ba helJ. Vot-ja for tbe quesn are secured by tho proceeds of the eale and raoijey raised in other ways. Ihe winner becomes the county queen and then competes with othsr counties for pride of place cs provincisl queen. Both in Te Puke End here the -ques'ioa .of also having district queun competitions is being contidered. This would mean that euch diFtricts cs Oroni, rpe Puno, «:tc., would each have a qupen, the winner then becoming tka quesn for this portijn cf th 3 ccur.ty. "his, however, has not yst been definitely ect-l^d. As will be seen Dy the report p^-Jiahed elsewhere ay, Executive Cjtrimiitee hss been set up and other Con:n-ittees will fallow, ""he work tj be dore immediately is to orginiae the country districts, and the matter cf arranging these fueetisigs i* alrea-iy in hnr:d. It is proposed that tncrnlars at ihe «secutive should attend th-'-e meetings aud thoroughly explcin tbe prjpoaals to the settler?.