RED TRIANGLE DAY

Evening Star, Issue 16628, 10 January 1918, Page 5

RED TRIANGLE DAY

WAR WORK OF THE Y.M.O.A. The Minister of Internal Affairs has given approval to the Y.M.O.A. for a public appeal in New Zealand on March 15 for funds to assist the maintenance of the war work of that association. The following statement, explaining the necessity for the appealj was subsequently made by the War Committee of the Y.M.C.A : As the prolongation of the war involves another winter’s campaign,- with its inevitable hardships for our men, it is imperative that the National Council take munediato steps to raise -sufficient funds to maintain the present service to New Zealand troops, and to meet the urgent requests that are being received almost daily from military authorities and other sources for the extension of that service. Thus it has been decided to hold Red Triangle Day on March 15, this day to be the culmination of a series ot efforts throughout the Dominion, excepting Auckland province, which recently raised over £50,000 for our war funds. The National Council desire to state that ever since the commencement of the war the policy of both the British and' New Zealand Councils has been to meet every reasonable request made by the military authorities to serve the men so far as the available funds - would allow. For instance, last year the balance-sheet of the British National Council, after three years of war, disclosed the fact that although the total transactions of the council exceeded one and arquarier million pounds the balance to credit was only a few pounds. And at one -period in the present year they were £150,000 overdrawn. The last balance-sheet of the _ New Zealand Council showed a credit balance of £20,000, which has since been expended in the service to the soldiers. But for the timely and generous effort made in the Auckland province recently, funds would have'by now been almost exhausted. In view of the many occasions arising from time, to time when the immediate expenditure of large sums is rendered imperative by the ever-changing military conditions, it is impossible to prepare any reliable budget of expenditure that may not be largely exceeded. This condition of things, inseparable from war, makes it necessary for the council to always have sufficient funds in hand for at least six to twelve months ahead. The council, who .are composed of representative business men throughout the Dominion, have not, ever since the beginning of the war, been satisfied to merely collect funds in New Zealand and remit them for expenditure abroad, but several members of that body have personally gone in an- honorary capacity and at their own expense to see that those funds have been properly and economically administered. The public, therefore, may have every confidence in entrusting this body with money which in every case is spent directly in ameliorating the lot of the men in our fighting forces. GENERAL BIRDWOOD’S APPRECIATION. In connection with the projected Red Triangle Day, interest attaches to the following letter from General W. E. Birdwood, commanding the New Zealand and Australian troops in France, which has been received by the Y.M.C.A ; “ I only wish I could adequately express my admiration and thanks for the real good work dope by your association during the war. Time after time it has come to my notice, and even at our advanced posts I constantly find your representatives always cheery and helpful, and, I o«n assure'you, most heartily welcomed and appreciated by the men for all they do for them. Those who have not been at the front can hardly realise what it means to get a not cup of soup or cocoa at the T.M. C»A. stall when they come out of the trenches simply soaking wet, cold, and exhausted.”