POPPY DAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10564, 18 April 1928, Page 3

POPPY DAY.

SATURDAY’S STREET SALE

GISBORNE R S.A. APPEAL

The purposes of the annual sale of poppies under the auspices of tlie K.S.A., hardly need explaining to a public which has shown the Kindest response to the otter of the little red blooms year dy year, it is well Known that the funds raised by the sale of the poppies ale devoted to the relief, of indigent eases among ex-service men, and it, is satisfactory to note that the result of the annual sales have been the means of helping many a family faced with actual want. This year the need for assistance, iii some eases, will be greater than ever, and in the itfll expectation of a response equal to any in the past, : the Gisborne lieturned Soldiers' Association is preparing for Saturday’s sale. . • “.Not enough poppies ’ was the verdict of the punlic last year/ when the supply secured by the K.S.A. had sold out within two hours of the sale opening’. Steps have been taken to ensure that this year no sympathiser will be denied an opportunity of wearing a poppy, either in town or country, last years nuiiiUer having been increased by over 100 per cent. The sale will be in the hands of a sub-committee from the Gisborne R.S.A. executive, who expect to have the assistance of a number of ladies and gentlemen who have shown their enthusiasm on previous occasions, and also of several sales-assistants who have not previously joined in, the effort. A depot is to be established in a central position, and the streets' will be worked systematically. Each poppy will be offered at the price ot one shilling, 'but donations of additional amounts will not Its refused, it is unnecessary to say. One incident of last year’s sale bears repeating in this'connection. A young man of average dress, bearing none of the marks of a really rich person, emptied his pockets into the hands of- one collector, a considerable collection of 'silver being the result. No difficulty was raised as to the exchange of poppies for halfcrowns and even larger, amounts, though the nominal price of a shilling was standard in most cases. The proceeds of last year’s Poppy Day sale inaugurated an effort which resulted in £I2OO being made available for wage's to ex-soldiers, and formed the corner-stone of ■Gisborne’s expenditure in aid of unemployed breadwinners last winter.