PERSONAL SACRIFICE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 91, 18 April 1932, Page 6

PERSONAL SACRIFICE

; The desire .of Their Excellencies the .Governor-General and Lady BlesdislordT to bear a full-share in shouldering ,tlie;;.bu>den; niijw, falling so heavily on.the domniunity is-given convincing and; practical expression: in. the. offer; to surrender 30; per cent :of -the, total emoluments.: of. the Governor-Geherars (jfficei equal x to 45 per cent, of the salary of the office; ;TKis generous offer must make it necessary^fpr to' draw on their private resources, for the eniolumehteway; appear. lai^e,^the eipeflsea of^:tkfe pfice are heavy.; This is^^indefed a,substantial petsonai:sacrifice;-New^Zealand did not need this generous"'offer, as proof of Th%.Ejft;ellencies^de^p. svihpathywith the people. Aparfceyea from the prfeyiotis vsurreridet ofv2o per- cent, of 'the semoluments5emoluments of ~ite --'office, Excellencies,have.,.day" by "day V"set, "personal 7, exatnple ;of self-sacrific6 : , and Sbarnest ; work for • those suffering in toe present distress; In ffiis,,as fa other respects, they hive worthily upheld .the-tradi-tions, and practice ofwthe Royal Family whom they •jepresent in this Dominion. ,' V "/'"-'^>.'/:-'v""T-' - - :.: This .example of yxiltmtary sacrifice forither pubiievgbod -wilii ;we trust, be ai reminder to the' Whole of the- people of "the. contribution made by. private generosity in affording relief to the distressed. Compulsory measures of sacrifice have been carried fair. Business misfortunes and heavy taxation have diminished the resources of many whose financial .cirQUinstances:.. were, formerly fortu- %*?• -j, Yet ;.the. stream^ of" voluntary contributions; has continued 'to flow. No estimate of the amount thus cpnfjributed can be made. So mlny : public^aid movements have been supplied in fundsj services, and goods. In times of prosperity there were ; raany wI^O gave freely what they : could. afford. Now they are Jstill giving,"and thteir gifts represent what they would have felt formerly" Tdiat . A.fey . could hot afford. They^give :ihecause they see a need greater'ttan their own. The sympathy, which in* spires and accompanies iliese gifts should be remember|d; It should soften the harshness of those who, in ; Blamouring much 'for ■ ■ compulsory equality of sacrifice, overlook the real and personal: sacrifice made by so many "not,;grudgingly or 'of , .rt^qessity/' 'but:iri.; the; true: spirit of . ;,sympathetic iiafity;vj ■; ■ ;,'. -'•;; ;;.•.