“PAPER PLEASE”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 51, Issue 3150, 29 July 1942, Page 5

“PAPER PLEASE”

ENGLAND’S WAR EFFORT

NO WASTE MATERIALS

EXAMPLES WORTH FOLLOWING

“Have you presented your country with last year’s calendar?” .Such slogans are everywhere in England to-day. Each family is doing its utmost to assist the war effort by presenting their waste material to the country. This little story shows how one pound of waste from every house saves one hazardqbs voyage over dangerous seas.

A certain family had ready for the salvage collector a bulb, a tin, a newspaper, a meat bone, a fish bone, a wrapper and a box. In the street were 10'0 houses. If all the households were as conscientious as this one, the salvage collector would collect a sackful of waste. From 2000 streets he would collect 2000 sackfuls and 2000 sackfuls make 100 1 tons. If 17 groups of streets in the Midlands, eight groups in the North, five groups in the West, and 15 groups in the South, all made this extra effort, they would save 4500 tons, which would make an average shipload. England is making such an effort, even under fire itself at times, so why should New Zealand not make as big, if not a bigger attempt? A true story is told about some businessmen who put their country’s need first. A firm of publishers had bought a stock of paper for a new edition of a famous dictionary. It cost them £I6O,‘ODO. An order for charts and maps came in from the Admiralty costing £054. The firm sent its stock of paper to be pulped, so that the Admiralty’s order could be fulfilled.

Many of the slogans adopted have a humorous touch. “Old papers never die, they simply join the war effort,” states one. Another makes use of the words of a song: “I wrote a letter to my love, and on the way I dropped it. ‘What waste, you wicked girl’ they cried. I tell you straight— I copped it.” Some are more serious. “Now is the time to mobilise waste paper for the next great offensive. Will yours be taking part in the attack ? ”

These stories and slogans show the efforts being made in England for a speedier victory.