FINE SOCIAL WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 63, 11 September 1943, Page 6

FINE SOCIAL WORK

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS

The charitable and social work of the United Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's. Association of New Zealand was referred to by the Minister of Armed Forces and War Coordination (Mr. Perry), when speaking at the Commercial Travellers' Club, Wellington, yesterday, and proposing the toast of the association's thirtieth birthday. Many thousands of poor, crippled, and homeless children had been made happier by the efforts of the association's members, he said. The Wellington members alone had distributed £15,000, of which £11,332 had gone to brighten the lives of little ones in homes and orphanages. The blinded soldiers and sailors also had been assisted to the extent of £27,316, and the administrative cost of the fund over 25 years had amounted to only £55. This must surely be a record for low administrative costs.

In this war the members of the association had given an indication of their patriotism and resourcefulness, not only by personal service in the fighting forces, but also by the sacrifice of their sons and daughters to the needs of ' the nation.

Mr. Perry recalled the events of the past year, during which the whole war situation had changed, culniinating in the defeat of Italy approximately on the fourth anniversary of the war. "By Italy's defeat," the speaker said, "we have landed the first leg of the treble, .but the other two legs will roll home as absolute certainties." He trusted that this would happen before the members gathered to celebrate the 31st birthday of the association in September next year. The club had been formed on September 13 30 years ago, but when surveying its record none could say that the number 13 was unlucky. Mr. E. E. Brooking, president of the Wellington Association, reminded members that the New Zealand association possessed the title "United," having been formed as the result of a small united group 30 years ago. Unity had been the guiding factor in its activities ever since, and he was proud of the fact that 100 of its' members were taking their part in the struggle in which we had just discerned .the first tinge of victory. The toast of the association was enthusiastically honoured at the call of Mr. Perry. ,