THE WAR LOAN

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 302, 19 August 1916, Page 4

THE WAR LOAN

PUBLIC MEETING IN FEILDING

AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVERTISE NEW ZEALAND.

FOUR GOOD SPEECHES

A RESOLUTION CARRIED

Dirty-wet weather no doubt alfeetcd tho attendance I'or the War Loan meeting at the Drill Hall last night nevertheless there wore between ,f and 40 citizens who rallied to the cull of tho Mayor (Mr A. M. Ongley). TH-IS MAYOR'S Sl-KKCII. His AVorship explained that tbe meeting wns called at the instance ol the Minister ol iMnance (Sir Josepli Ward), and the early closing oi the War Loan accounted for the short notice given. Mr Ongley briefly explained tho features ol the loan tor £8,000,000, and pointed out bow the Government was providing tor the investor of small amounts. Those people with money available- who would not invest it in this loan, but held it lor liio-hor rates of interest, did not deservo the privileges e-njoyeel under British rule. ICvon if the loan was not loaded with its attractive interest —even if we did not get our money back our lihertv from German dominance was well bought. There had never been such prosperous times as New Zealand now enjoyed. Every family in Feilding should afford to take up £1 or £10 in these certificates, and he hoped before the loan closed on Motidav every Feilding name would be on the list. (Applause.)

A BANKER'S SPEECH. Mr McQueen, who was then called upon to speak, moved: — That this public meeting of citizens affirms the desirableness cf raising a large proportion of cur war requirements within this prosperous Dominion; and recognising that the success of the War Loan is of paramount importance, urges a general subscription on the- part of the community, even to the point of personal sacrifice.

Speaking to the motion, Mr McQueen referred to New Zealand, "this favoured land," and he thought of it 11s something of a super-country. It had within it no serpent—no poor. The War Loan was undoubtedly a wise dotation. The money was essential. England was carrying out a colossal task in financing the war not only for herself, but for her Allies. Not only was there the present to provide for, but after the war. Now Zealanders should do their share, and here was the opportunity not only of helping with needed money, but a rare chanco of advertising New Zealand. Make the loan a huge success— not a paltry £8,000.000, but £18,000,----000—and our friends and foes at the other end of the world would recognise that New Zealand was alive- to its responsibilities and took the chance to serve out of its -prosperity as it had served with its primest manhood. Let us do our .-C-s.-d. duty as well as our boys are doing their fighting duty. As to' the question, Can the Dominion stand the loan? Mr McQueen quoted excess export and banking figures which showed that the conditions were exceedingly fortunate for raising a loan. Despite commitments, developmental, and other calls, the Dominion, before and since the war, was a wonderful wealth-producer. Speaking to tho employer, the speaker said his enthusiasm had been fired by reading what had been done in Australia (£35,000,000 in the first six months) and in England by employers and employees in helping war loans. Some firms had advanced the money to their men to take up certificates, the latter repaying by weekly instalments. The financial generosity had also aroused enlistment enthusiasm. In finishing his speech, which was punctuated with applause, Mr McQueen appealed to the -patriotism of New Zealanders to do everything to crush for ever "this nightmare of Prussian militarism." "Be true to yourselves, your country, and to the brave boys who are fighting. Make it your business to advertise this loan' as widely as possible. He that lendcth to the Government, triveth to himself. ' (Applause.) A FARMER'S SPEECH.

Mr Perrett.- who seconded the motion, complimented the mover upon the excellence of bis speech. Speaking as a farmer, he felt that tho whole of our resources should be at the disposal of the country and the Government at this juncture. Not all farmers -were free from debt. But when there are such enormous sums lying idle in the Post Office Savings and other banks, there is no call for farmers to further load themselves with debt. But we should give up everything to win this war. The three great needs are men. money, and munitions. 'Our boys have responded wonderfully well, so that, taking ouv Army and Navy, we now have the mightiest forces in the world's history. Now we need to rrivc money as well as men. We should not depend wholly upon the Mother Country for money. No nation in the world can spend as Britain is spending without bleeding to death. Let New Zealand provide its own expenditure. We have the monev,/which is accumulating—thanks to tiie war. Prices are phenomenal, and as a patriotic people we should do our best to carry out our obligations to the Motherland. We sliould not deplete her. She will have after-the-war n rob! ems to solve and great calls to respond to. Do not call upon her more than is absolutely necessary. It is up to us as a people to pay our way nnd do our little bit towards keeping our own brave men. There is really no self-sacrifice involved by investing in the War Loan. The certificate is a gilt-edged security. If it is carried round in the pocket it is making 7d interest per month. May Feilding and its people invest generously in this really important and necessary call upon' their savings — for every little will help to a quicker ending of the war, and a- slow response will mean heavier taxation in the future. (Applause.)

A MERCANT'S SPEECH. Mr Tolley recalled the feeling two years ago when gloom was followed by confidence over the issue of war. Sinco that time, though the war has been raging at the other end of the world. New Zealand has been passing through a. period of unexampled prosperity. England has been, bearing the brunt of the financing of the war, yet the people of England have risen to tho call to provide tho Old Country with money. It is but just that the call for money should now come to every individual in New Zealand. Tho call could not have come at a better time. The money is here. Wo can had the £8,000,000 without inconvenience. But we should not look only to the financial institutions. The War Loan is gilt-edged for .insurance and other companies. But everybody should feel the call. Everybody should subscribo to tho loan. Each 16s subscribed was like providing the Allies with a hand-grenade for tho enemy. If we rise to the occasion and raise the £8,000,000, we will be doing a great service to tho 'Homeland; and if we oversubscribe up to £1(5,000,000 or even £32,000,000—

why, tho effect would bo felt even in Berlin. (Applause.) Mr Tolley extolled the personal bravery of Britain's fighting forces throughout the winter and summer on the Ypres front. If they can do great deeds, under inconvenience, for us, surely we who are in comfort can subscribe to a loan! The man who refuses to do so —well, he is no man, mo BritisTier. In Jutland's battle, tho smallest British craft sank some of Germany's biggest ships. Just so, the small investor ,in this' loan can help to do the biggest possible thing for the Dominion and the Empire. (Applause.) CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Tiie motion was then put, and carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the speakers concluded the meeting. IN THE LYCEUM THEATRE. ANOTHER APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC. By the courtesy of the manager of the 'Lyceum (Mr Shortt) and on his invitation, the Mayor and Mr McQueen subsequently appeared on the stage at the theatre, and made another appeal there, receiving a hearty welcome and a good hearing. Mr McQueen reviewed the main points in his previous speech, emphasising the value of a. full subscription of the loan to the people in other parts of tho world, so that people of other nations would remark: It must be a great country which can send out such men and subscribe such money. Let us go out to New Zealand. Thus our generosity would come back to us in the way of immigrants. The speaker then took his hearers on to the plane of patriotism, and made a stirring appeal. It was only £8 por head of our population that was called for. For IGs you can get £1 in five years; for £8 you can get £10. If every parent would give £10, £5, or £1 worth of certificates for each of their children, not only would the parents of New Zealand be helping tho loan and showing practical patriotism, but look at the lesson to each child when the certificates arc realised at the end of the five years. The call has come, let us all respond to it to the utmost of our means and resources as a patriotic duty and a unique privilege. (Hearty applause.)