VICTORY LOAN APPEAL

Evening Star, Issue 25300, 7 October 1944, Page 10

VICTORY LOAN APPEAL

t SIDELIGHTS ON CAMPAIGN

Now that the Victory Loan campaign is over and Otago's quota has been oversubscribed, a review of the campaign reveals that the organisers faced the mo*t difficult war appeal yet. Beginning in inauspicious circumstances, when a certain measure of public «epathy was increased by parliamentary bickerings over the War Expenses Account, the investments steadily improved as the loan atmosphere was created.

A leat.ure of the appeal was the popularity of both bonds and national savings, the avenues of the small subscriber, the total of these two sections almost equalling tho £1,511,100 receipts from the sale of stock. This means that throughout Otago during the six weeks' campaign period approximately £1,100,000 came from the pockets of the " man in the street."

Army representatives experienced no difficulty in topping the list in the services competition, " Salute the Soldier Week " netting £335,508. Navy collectors, who opened the first and therefore had the most difficult week, obtained £165,942, while " Salute the Airman Week" brought in £223,011. Disappointment has been expressed at the result of Air Force week. It was the last of the services to make the appeal, and came at a time when the loan appeal was approaching high gear. An unfortunate blanket of silence from the R.N.Z.A.F. was maintained throughout the week until Friday, and Saturday when flights of aircraft appeared over the city, and the aerodrome was open for inspection. No service collectors were available to man the Dugout and collect at vantage points, as were provided by both the Navy and Army, while the only air publicity contributed was that released by the Loan Committee itself. Offers of assistance made by members of the J.C. Williamson Comedy Company and, in particular, the presentation of a Sunday night concert, caused the most embarrassment. Yet the £21,000 collected that night compared well with but £13,000 raised by the radio telephone appeal, a large portion of which came from country investors.

It was unfortunate that the War Expenses Account debate in Parliament should have coincided with the opening of the flotation, as this undoubtedly influenced the response in the early stages, despite the support accorded by leaders of all political parties. Throughout the campaign the Otago Loan Committee and the National War Savings Committee refused to enter into any discussion concerning political issues, as it was considered the objects of the loan were above politics or party* That attitude paid its dividends and impressed a number of large investors, while volunteers throughout the province sank their political differences in the unanimity of purpose - . The Otago district organiser was Mr H. J. A. Palmer, while Mr A. Thomas was the area organiser. Messrs J. G. Dykes and L. W. Penrose were chairman and secretary of the Loan Committee, with Mr R. W. Walls as chairman of the National War Savings Committee, which worked in conjunction with the Victory Loan body, while Mr L. H. Frude served as publicity officer.