RAISING PUBLIC FUNDS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21146, 23 April 1934, Page 21

RAISING PUBLIC FUNDS

AUSTRALIAN DIFFICULTY MELBOURNE'S AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME [.FROM OCR OW» CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, April 12. Recent events have proved that though Australia may be recovering from the depression, it is not easy to induce the public to unbutton its pocket and contribute to public funds as it did in the ''good old days." A realisation of this seems to have come in the nature of a shock to two organisations—the Melbourne Centenary Council, and, in Sydney, to the Anzac Memorial Committee. Excellent progress is being made with the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, Sydney, but some months ago it was realised that this splendid monument in stone could not be completed unless at least another £15,000 was made available. The idea was that the memorial should be opened by Prince George, so it was decided to ask the public to subscribe the required amount. That was several months ago, and although the Returned Soldiers' League has been most active, and has received great assistance from the press, only £3OOO has come to hand. In some of the country districts the campaign was not welcomed, and critics said that the idea seemed to be to get more money to decorate the city. It is generally recognised, however, that the memorial is a national one, and it is probable that the slow response to the appeal is due to a feeling that extravagances should be avoided until there is a more definite indication that good times have come to stay. Melbourne's problem is much greater than Sydney's. Melbourne is on the eve of an elaborate centenary celebration, and the scale of the programme demands a huge fund. At the last meeting of the Centenary Council a report was submitted showing that at least £79,000 was needed to carry out the gramme at present drawn up. That did not allow for additional events. The estimates were:—Salaries and overhead, £15,000; publicity, £14,000; pageantry, £7000: decorations, £9750; sports. £7000; air race £5500: celebrities' expenses, £5000; musical programme, £5000; historical £1500; art exhibition, £1500; women's activities, £1000; All-Australian exhibition, £1000; horticultural exhibition, £ 1000. With only £63,000 in hand the council needs at least another £16,000 to fulfil its obligations without allowing for future commitments. It is felt by the committee that for its population Victoria is attempting to conduct its centenary celebrations on much too small a scale. It is therefore with a feeling of confidence thai an appeal is being made to the public to contribute to the funds that are necessary if Melbourne and Victoria as a whole arc to do themselves justice. It has been decided to ask. not for £16,000, but for another £50,000. Realising the magnitude of the task, the committee has decided upon the biggest publicity campaign ever attempted in any one state of the Commonwealth. The slogan, "One Penny or a Thousand Pounds," will be flashed in electric signs and coloured posters from railway stations and prominent buildings all over the state: aeroplanes will trail it across the sky by day and by night, and wireless stations will do their part. A special staff of organisers will he engaged to make personal contact with the people, and the entire state will be divided into zones for this purpose. It is proposed to issue centenary badges to all small subscribers," while shopkeepers and business people who give to the fund will be supplied with certificates that can be displayed in the windows or elsewhere. Every form of transport will be used to advertise the campaign. The centenary council has not been following a rosy path, and Australia will watch with great interest its latest venture. Even Sydney will join with those who wish success to the efforts.