THE RED TRIANGLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 121, 8 February 1918, Page 6

THE RED TRIANGLE

APPEAL FOR FUNDS FOR Y.M.C.A; WAR WORK SOME BIG DONATIONS A meeting convened by the Mayor (Mr. J. I'. Luke) was held in the Chamber of the' City Council yesterday aftornoon to introduce to public notice the business of "Red Triangle Day," a new campaign for the, raising of funds for Y.M.C.A. war work. In introducing the subject, the Mayor paid a high tribute to the work which had been carried out by the Y.M.C.A. on our battle fronts, in the camps, and iu the cities in which they conduct their activities. He gave a warm welcome to Brigadier-General Sir Robert Anderson, formerly QnartwrmasterGcnoral of the Australian Forccs in Egypt and afterwards in France, where lie gavo 'notable help to the Y.M.C.A.. being chiefly responsible for the cleaning-up of Cairo ill its worst days. Sir Robert Anderson, who was received with acclamation, indicated the nature of the great work done by the Y.M.C.A. in Egypt and at the front. Before he went to Egypt he only had a nodding acquaintance with that work, but he would be associated with it for the rest of his life. (Applause.) And if- it was so with him, how must it iio with the men? Were it not for tho Y.M.C.A. many people would not hear from their boys or friends at all, as thero would be a first difficulty in getting writing paper and pencils. He was sure that many people blessed the i'.M.C.A. when they received letters with the red triangle in, the corner. He spoke of the condition of Cairo when the Australian and Now Zealand soldiers reached there, and the kind of people that used to meet them on their arrival in the city on leave. He spoke of line work done at the Esbikia Gardens at Cairo, and afterwards the good that had been done by tho opening of tho Anzac Hostel there. He paid a fine tribute to the work of the Commissioners, Messrs. W. 11. George and W. G. Jamiesou, and incidentally he made the statement that New Zealand had the finest Y.M.C.A. huts in the world. The. New Zealand hut at Sling Camp was the admiration of the whole world, thanks to the broad-mindedness and foresight of Mr. Jamieson (of Christchurch). In France the Y.M.C.A. went right up to tho fighting line—it was no soft "cushy" job for them, and they were always "on the go!" l'here was no better investment that he knew than to subscribe to the funds of the Y.M.C.A., who were doing a great work unobtrusively, but very ably. (Applause.) An Enthusiast from the North. Mr. G. H. Wilsoli,'of Auckland, said ho had come clown to stir up a healthy rivalry between Auckland and ellington. He had not come down to make comparisons between the two cities otherwise. Iu Auckland they had raised £50,000. (Applause.) That was not because of any neglect of any other cause. In November and December last they had raised £85,000 for Red Cross worn, and next month they intended to raise another £10.000 for tile Salvation Army. The first thing that they had to do was to get a good chairman, one who represented directorates, then thoy should liavst committees, representing all classes of the community. In speaking about donations from companies, he said that the point was raised as co whether they had the right to give awnv shareholders' money. Ho said that if shareholders sent mon away to tho front on half-pay' they were surely right in giving sufficient to five them a bowl of soup every day. His firm (Wilson and Canliam) had a small branch here, which did not do much business, but it would give £500 conditional on nine other firms giving the same amount. (Applause.) Air. Charles Rhodes, of the Thames, said that they had staited well in Wellington, as the Y.M.C.A. was now accepted as a good, sound,- solid, reliable institution, which liati been proved by thousands of letters from the soldiers. He belioved in having a standard to start with—a few good names who would guarantee sums of money. In Auckland one gentleman 1 id promised £500 conditional on five oi hers giving a similar amount. They ha \ secured thoso five amounts of £500 each, and when they told the original donor, ho was large-hearted enough to say: "I'll go you again!" And once more they pulled it off. A hey pot in all some thirteen amounts or £500 each. He was just as convinced as Mr. Wilson that it was adyisabk to publish the names of subscribersit was not in human nature to do otherwise. He at one time thought that there were people that did not wlsh their names published, and now and again there were anonymous contributor:, but experience had taught them, that it was otherwise with the majority. committee Fonnca. . Mr. L. 0. 11. Tripp moved:—"That* Citizens' Committee be formed to assist the Y.M.C.A. in raising this fund." This was seconded by Mr. Gold, and carried unanimously. Mr. H. W. Kersley (chairman of the National Committee) said they proposed that their arrangements should be made so that the finishing day would bo March 15. They were employing over 50 men in England, Franco, Palestine, and Mesopotamia. They had enough to keep them going for three or four months, hut beyond that they knew nothing, and the work must 20 on. On the motion of the chairman those present formed themselves, into , a nucleus of a Citizons' Committee with power to add to their numbers. Mr. AV. H. George said how well the ground had been prepared for the canvass by the very men they were out to assist. He had visited the AYcst Coast recently., and when they got to one meeting they found the Mayor and nearly everyone else with their pockets stuffed full of letters from the front with the Red Triangle iu the corner, telling them that if tliev had anything to give to give .it to the Y.M.C.A. Generous Offers. They must always be prepared for surprises in Y.M.C.A. campaigns. His friend had come down from Auckland and thrown out a challenge that ho would givo £500 if liino others would. WeU, it was not going to stand alone. His firm (Messrs. George and Kersley) would make one of tho nine. Their chairman (Mr. Luke) had gone up to the AVairarapa to put their case before tiie AA'airarapa Patriotic Society, and they had promised £3000 —another surprise. AYhen he had passed through Perth last May twelve months, lie asked how much they thoucht t.liey could raise for the National AVar Fund, and tho reply was £2000 or £3000. Not six months later thoy raised £27,000. Passing through Sydney a few weeks later be asked tho same question, and thoy thought they would raise .CROOO or £9000. In their campaign last Julv they asked the citizens of New South Wales for £50,000.. and received £172,000. So they had to be prepared for surprises in the Dominion campaign, and lie believed thoy would get them.

After passing a vote of thanks to the visitors the meeting closed.