SPLENDID RESPONSE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 95, 22 April 1944, Page 6

SPLENDID RESPONSE

R.S.A. POPPY DAY APPEAL

Never before has such whole-hearted public support been accorded the Returned Services' Association Poppy Day appeal as yesterday, when the poppies worn by the* citizens of Wellington and suburbs represented £4475, and those in the Hutt Valley £860, a total of £5335. This figure is better than any, previous year except- last, when a swollen population made possible the record figure of £6057. The Hutt Valley total this year, however, was better than last year by nearly £300.

The proceeds go to the R.S.A. benevolent funds-for the assistance of returned servicemen in indigent circumstances, and for those in hospital, and funds have been built up in recent years against the time when more returned servicemen may be in need than at present. Yesterday there were nearly 800 collectors operating, and their boxes containing a surprising number of bank-notes and cheques.

P.A. AUCKLAND, April 21. Year by year since the outbreak of the present war new records have been attained in the annual Poppy Day collection in Auckland and district.- In 1940 the appeal realised £2418, in 1941 £2516, in 1942 £3176, and last year the aggregate of £4062 was reached. At a late hour tonight the Returned Services' Association reported that £4333 had been counted and the ultimate amount anticipated from today's collection was in the region of £4700, or nearly £700 more than last year's record. O.C. PALMERSTON N., This Day.

Poppy Day collections in Palmerston North yesterday were approximately £556. Last year £555 16s 3d was raised.