EASTER EGG CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 165, 2 April 1918, Page 3

EASTER EGG CAMPAIGN

STILL GOING STRONG. "Here you are —a special prize!" caid a soldier bursting in amongst a bee of busy workers in the Easter egg campaign promoted by the N.Z. Natives' Association for the sufferers by the big bush fire. "Special prize, that's me —now what is it?" "You will have to wait until the list of special prizes is opened by Mr. Massey," said one of the officials. The soldier persisted that he hud drawn "a. special; and he wished his prize forthwith. "I'll give you £1 for your ticket!" said a tactful official. "Done—and no questions asked," said the soldier. The pound was duly paid over to the lucky soldier, who, to show his sporting instincts, at once invested the whole of the money in further tickets, but no further "specials" came his way, and other people benefited by the goods he drew as prizes for his twenty tickets. Some of the prizes represented a shave at a barber's shop, and the peculiar spectacle was, witnessed of an old lady protesting over the counter that she did not want a shave, and, what was more, would not have one. As all the retail shops were closed yesterday, people who ran short of tea had only one recourse, to invest in a surprise ticket, and if it did not represent tea to change with another investor not so keen on the "best Ceylon," and in that way many a larder was replenished yesterday. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, who is controlling the fire relief arrangements on behalf of the Government, communicated yesterday morning with the executive of the N.Z. Natives' Association,' asking that body if they would be good enough to provide 100 tents for those in need of them in the fire zone. The request was received at 9 a.m., a committee meeting was held at 9.30 a.m., and at 10 a.m. an order was given Messrs. Hutcheson and Wilson for the required number of tents, which the firm mentioned are supplying at cost price. There is no doubt that the association did the right thing in diverting, the object of their Easter egg campaign to a fund for benefiting the sufferers in the Waimarino and Eaetihi districts, and the liberality shown by the public is clear evidence that tho effort was "the right thing at the right time." It was unfortunate that the weather was so consistently wet during the holidays, as it is estimated that the difference in the sales of "eggs" will amount to about £1000.