VIOLET DAY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3117, 22 June 1917, Page 3

VIOLET DAY

TO HELP OUR WOUNDED AND

SICK SOLDIERS

AN AUGUST EFFORT

Yesterday afternoon a meeting was held in the gymnasium of the Sydney Street Soldiers*' Club to consider the question of forming a flower circle which would organise o "Violet May," to bo held at whatever time the meeting considered most suitable,- for the purpose oC raising funds for lied Cross purposes. About thirty w thirty-five ladies were £ resent, and the Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. uke) presided. Mrs. Firth, who was responsible for the suggestion of having a "Violet Day" in Wellington, acted as secretary pro torn., and read a letter which had been received from Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool, in which she t-xpressed much sympathy with the scheme and wished it all success, asking at the same time that she should be informed when •it was decided to hold tho day aud she would send supplies of flowers for the occasion. About twenty apologies for unavoidable absence from the meeting were given out, the writers at the same time promising to assist in whatever ways were possible. Mrs. W. D. Stewart (of Christchnrch), who was asked to outline the eeheino which was followed in Christchurch sometime ago, by means of which was realised tho sum of .£IOOO. told the meeting that a number of Christchurch women formed themselves into a large committee, each member of that committee promising to be responsible for twenty girls who would help to sell violets on tho day agreed' upon. From these members a. sub-committee was formed, who arranged Iho "beats"' for each girl, these "bents" being strictly adhered to. >"o girl worked longer than two hours at her post, her place being taken at the end of that time- by another, andmotor-cars kept eacli flower-seller replenished from a central depo't. As had already been slated, tho day onded in tho realisation of the sum that tho workers had sot out to make. •

Mrs. Stewart was thanked for her information, and a committee was formed of ovpiTone present a.t tho meeting, with tho addition of tho absentees who had scut in apologies for nou-attondanco and promisee to assist. The decision to hold a "Violet Day" in Wellington having been nvrivoil at. some discussion followed as to what would bo the most- euitablo tiino for holding it. August 10 was finally settled upon. . Mrs. Tiiiko ]»int«d out that Hie scheme which had just been outlined by "Mrs. Slmvart was very similar to that which had been followed on previous (lower days in Wellington, and since it was decided that they should hold it, it -was | necessary that everyone should make up thoir minds to do their best, the greater part of tho work naturally falling oil tho day or 50 previous to the actual "Violet Bay." Mrs. Pearco suggested that the. help of people in tho Wairarapa. bo enlisted in tho project, both in the. matter of supplying flowers urn! also girls to sell them. 'Phis was thought an excellent idea, and Mrs. Poarce was asked if sko ■would take steps to enlist their help. Mrs.' Firth stated that sho had received a letter from Mrs. Elder, of Waikanao, in which she offered the help ot a group of Maori girls, under the direction of Mrs. Parata, in selling flowers. This also was gladly accepted by tho meeting. Mrs. W. Lees (Heretaunga) proposed that Upper Hutt residents be made acquainted with tho "Violet Day" project, and their help enlisted. She was sure that they would bo glad to assist, ami she would do her best to enlist their cooperation. This ■ proposal was also welcomed. ~ Tho question as to whether there should be one central depot where flowers from every district and suburb should bo pooled, and from which the flower sellers should bo replenished, or whether there should bo different stands placed at points of vantage throughout the city, mid'placed in chargo of tho different suburbs or district, such us tho AVairarapa, was left to be decided later. An executive committee to deal with the actual details of the campaign, was set up, and consists of the following: Mreclames W. Nathan, Luke, Stewart, Firth, Leicester, Gamble, M'Dougall, Kennedy, Bolton, Von Haast, Pearce, Gibbons, Purdy, J.,8. FindUiy, Misses Marchant, Cooper, and 31osa. Mrs. Firth was appointed secrotary, and Mrs. M. Myers assistant secretary. Additional members of 1:ho committee (subject to the approval of one or two who were yet to be asked) aro Messrs. C. B-. Smith, Young, Finlay, J. M'lntosh, Bush, Tripe, lzard, W. Bethune, Turnbull, and Skerrett. It was further elicited from Mrs. Stewart during the meeting that in Christchurch thero was no overlapping by the flower sellers, as each one'-s beat was allocated her. Also, the sub-committee knew just how many girls to arange beats for, as all names of flower sellers had been eent in to them by the members of tho general committee, each one of whom was responsible for twenty girls. It was decided that tho Sydney Street Soldiers' Club Committee be asked if j they would grant Hie use of tho gyinna- [ sium as a. depot on the 9th and 10th. Before tho meeting closed, Mrs. Firth, referring to the recent heavy casualty lists, moved that a vote of deep sympathy be passed to all who were in such great sorrow through these losses, and that all present pledge themselves to do their utmost to provide the men who were fighting so bravely for the world's liberty with every comfort that would alleviate their sufferings. The resolution was passed, everyone standing meanwhile.