Firms Give Card Money To Charity

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30945, 29 December 1965, Page 3

Firms Give Card Money To Charity

“The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, December 28.

For years many business firms have set aside a sum of money annually to provide Christmas gifts and greeting cards for clients or associates.

This year at least two New Zealand firms decided to make better use of the Christmas appropriation by handing the sum directly to some worthy cause.

An officer of an oil company which gave to five different charities this Christmas— C.0.R.5.0., for instance has received £lO0 —said:

“We spend hundreds of pounds every year on gifts and Chirstmas cards. This is a better use for the money and we would like to think that the usual recipients of the cards and gifts would feel the same way.” A director of an advertising agency which gave to philanthropic and educational causes, including lOOgns to the Auckland division of the Cancer Society, said the lack

of gifts had been explained briefly to clients on Christmas cards half the usual size.

“We were going to spend this money one way or another,” he said. “It seemed to me that this way made good sense and would benefit humanity while the other was simply inconsequential.” Charities normally receive more donations at Christmas than at other times of the year and it is difficult to establish whether gifts from other firms are made for the same reason.

It is also hard to say how big a response has been given to a National Council of Churches appeal for firms to devote to charity money which would otherwise be spent on alcohol a f staff Christmas parties.