APPEAL BY MAYOR

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 9

APPEAL BY MAYOR

Wellington Provincial Patriotic Fund

6000 CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS

“3'here have been so many calls on the generosity of the public lately that the Provincial Metropolitan Patriotic Fund lias been overlooked for some months,” said the mayor of Wellington, .Mr. Hislop, yesterday. “For instance there lias been the appeal for the National Patriotic Fund, and the Sick and 'Wounded Fund promoted by the lied Cross Society and St. John Ambulance, and the appeal for the lighting forces by the Salvation Army and the Y.M.C.A. These are all excellent objects, of course, but the resuit lias been that the Provincial Patriotic Fund has not anything like the funds necessary to carry on its important activities.

“This fund provides for various amenities for men undergoing military training in the camps. They have to be provided with athletic equipment, and clothes, and all manner of sports material. A good example of wha: this demand means is indicated in our having to provide no fewer than 30 teams with football jerseys. Thai alone meant the best part of £5OO, ami that is only one item. Then we have to provide wireless sets for the men who are on guard in all sorts of inaccessible places on our coasts. “Now we are undertaking over the whole of the province to find more than 6000 Christmas plum puddings for the men who have gone overseas with our fighting forces —something to cheer them up wherever they are at the festal season of the year. In addition there are appeals for financial aid to soldiers and the members of their families, a work that is being undertaken on our behalf by the War Relief Association. “We are renovating and furnishing the soldiers’ hostel, in Sydney Street, shortly to be made available to men visiting Wellington on leave from camps, and in the Caledonian Chambers, in 'Willis Street, we are fitting up quarters for entertainment and dancing for the soldiers on leave. These quarters we hope to have ready for use in two or three weeks. “This all-costs money, so that 1 hope there will be a really generous response to our great street day to be held in Wellington next Friday, and so enable us to keep our word to the men in camp and, at the same time, do something to cheer up the hearts of our men overseas.”