VICTORY LOAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1944, Page 3

VICTORY LOAN

BOND WAGONS LEAVE

FIRST FIGURES TONIGHT

The Victory Loan campaign is now fully under way, with the money beginrang to come in, and tonight the first announcement of national figures will be made. ' , After a programme of band music ; at Victory Corner today the two Victory bond wagons were sent on their way from Wellington through the ! North Island by the chairman of the Wellington district loan executive committee, Mr. R. H.-Nimmo. One wagon will travel by the Wairarapa and the other by the Manawatu, and their purpose, Mr. Nimmo said, was to lend encouragement to the committees in smaller centres working most willingly, but nevertheless at the disadvantage of distance from national headquarters; the wagons, too. would be of very great assistance in publicising the Victory Loan right through the North Island. , In last year's loan, he said, the bond wagons were responsible for the sale of £500,000 worth ;of bonds. That showed that people would give even more to the best of propositions if they were presented in an attractive way, and it certainly showed that the personnel of the wagons knew their job, both in entertainment and in telling the story of the common Responsibility of everyone in New Zealand to back the efforts of the forces with their money. . . • Mr. Nimmo mentioned that Mrs. Reginald Kain, mother of the late "Cobber" Kain, would be with one of the wagons. . "Let us one and all be inspired by her example," he «aid. "She has given her son, but despite that severe loss—which was also a great loss to our country—she has never ceased to live up to what is one of the keynotes of the Victory Loan: 'Back the Attack.'" He wished the parties good luck and good selling, and a return with bare bond cupboards. At Unity Corner—the campaign name for the Dixon Street reserve— a high-speed progamme of two-minute talks was given, upon a pattern of common endeavour by everyone in the community. The speakers therefore represented the city, business, Parliament and the Government—Labour and Opposition— employer and employee, women and women's organisatiqns, and the Church. MAYOR'S APPEAL"As the result of magnificent victories by the United Nations and the citizens of conquered lands, we today move^about with light hearts," said the Mayor (Mr. Appleton). "That, however, is not enough,' and I appeal t0 7 OXX }° also iighten your pockets and put everything you can spare, right up to the real point of sacrifice, into this loan to provide . the final, telling smews, of war that will bring absolute victory," Mr. Appleton suggested that everyone should cast their minds back two years, to the days of the bitter fighting, m our own part of the world, just to the north of Australia, when was offered to the Japanese the first serious organised resistance possible. At that same time, too, came the first mention of the definite appointment of a high military officer to take charge of second front preparations. The United Nations had progressed far since then, but at what tremendous cost? "Though the end cannot now be long delayed," he continued," "much human sacrifice is ahead. Those of us who have been spared to continue our daily life largely as before, because of the sacrifice of these men, have our opportunity now. Bear in mind that while our fighting men have been asked to risk their lives that you may enjoy liberty m its widest conception, you are merely being exhorted to place at the disposal of your country, for the sole purpose of the war effort, something 'we can't take with us.' I ask you to do your bit in this loan effort right now. If you come in early, and with the same enthusiasm for the cause of your country that our men showed in going to war, the Victory Loan cannot fail." Other speakers were Mrs. Meek, Messrs. R. H. Nimmo, C. H. Chapman, M.P., T. L. Mac Donald, M.P., and the Rev. Harry Squires.