MUCH ACHIEVED

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4340, 6 October 1950, Page 5

MUCH ACHIEVED

PAEROA WAR MEMORI AL COMMITTEE MEETING (REVITALISING CAMPAIGN “We are getting within sighit of from £9OOO ito £lO,OOO in the campaign for funds for the Paeroa and diisttricit war memorial,” said Ms Edwin Edwards, mayor of Piaeroa, at a meeting of the war memorial committee held on Monday evening last in the Paeroa Council chambers.. There was a . very good attendance at the meeting. Mt Edwards said that approximately half of the original objective had been secured, which was most creditable. He pointed out that, despite the fact that there had been a lag in the campaign, money had been coming in ail the time. It had been necessary to suspend activities during the collection of money for the United Nations appeal for children but that campaign had now ended and it was time to revitalise efforts and devise ways and means of raising money immediately upon the conclusion of the direct appeal campaign which was still not fully completed. Mr Edward's drew the attention of the .meeting to the way in Which various organisations were silently working and by their efforts considerable sums had been made avai.able for the memorial fund. The croquet club had brought in over £3O to the campaign. The Paeroa Dramatic Club had already made two valuable contributions and there would be another from that organisation almost immediately. The profits of the recent Paeroa Horticultural Society’s show were for the campaign. The Paeroa Golf Club had organised a digger's day and it had been most successful the result being that a substantial sum would be handed over to the memorial committee. “We wili have £5O for you at the end of this month,” interjected a lady member of the committee, who informed the meeting that a church organisation, of which she was a member had arranged for a donation of that sum. Enthusiasm Not Dead Mir Edwards said he did not believe all enthusiasm was dead. Just re cently, he said, the Hauraki Agricultural and Pastoral Association had made a donation of £loo', some members suggesting more and there were expressions by members of that association that more might be given if it were needed. Continuing, the mayor said that he knew disappointment had been expressed by members of the community and he was himself disappointed but there were other aspects of the matter. He read a letter from the Paeroa Cricket Club stating that the club hoped during the coming season to assist with a contribution. A bicycle to the value of £2O had .been presented by Mr E. W. Lee to the committee to be raffled, the proceeds to be placed to the credit of the committee’s funds. Mr Lee was thanked for his donation and it was resolved to apply to the Minister of the Department of Internal Affairs for permission to conduct the raffle. The committee had been in action for some months and stock should be taken of the position, said Mr Lee. Much time had probably been lost by over planning. The districtlappeal had been mistimed in his opinion. The public was getting apathetic and he sensed an element of hosility. The committee should get on with the job. There were other counter attrac+ions in respect of which appeals would be made to the public. He had to accept some of the responsibility for the slowness of *the appeal, said Mr H. P. Wylde, but the appeal for children/by United Nations had cramped the committee’s act'ons. Mr Wylde suggested that it should be made known that the committee was going ahead and it should make a real effort over a short period for the direct appeal. A suggestion that a public subscription list should be opened was made by Mr R. Jeffrey, who also suggested that a barometer set up in the street, showing what was being collected from day to day, would keep the war memorial campaign constantly before the public. The country people would respond to a direct appeal, said Mr J. E. .Silcock, who urged that a direct anneal be made as soon as possible. The direct-appeal had commenced and had achieved considerable results, said Mr Edwards. Certain areas had been fully canvassed. The committee had unfortunately to delay its activities on account of other appeals and it was now time to commence again with the campaign. Support for Mr Jeffrey’s idea came from Mrs H. P. Wylde, who suggested

the publicity committee should consider the setting up of a barometer in a suitable public place. One great difficulty, said Mr C G. Jackson, was that at each meeting of the committee there seemed to be a different group of people present Over Organisation

The campaign had been over organised, said Mr J. H. Bartlett, who pointed out that the committee knew where the weakness was and there was nothing now to prevent the campaign getting under way. “Open the doors wide,” said l Mr Carden, “and do not delay by, confining activities to the district appeal.” Mr Edwards expressed confidence that the campaign would be successful in the end. Circumstances had prevented many people from helping who would now be able to give assistance.

If it was possible to complete the direct appeal and -traverse a full canvass in the residential area of the borough then that should be done as soon as possible, said Mr Lee. Concentrate for a fortnight upon the direct appeal, urged Mr Wy’de. “Take The Lid Off” As a member of the social and entertainment committee, Mr E. Kahn urged that the “lid should be taken off” and his committee should be let free to function. Mr Carden urged that ways and means of raising money should be devised and those ways and means should’be operated. The ladies organisations had started and had done well but a isimall committee should set in action all agencies for collecting money. There had not been over organisation, said Mr D. G. Sinclair, who expressed the view that not sufficient use had been made of the organisation which was available. It was resolved that all chairmen of the various committees, together with all' those who had promised to canvass, be called to a meeting next Wednesday evening, October 11, at 7.30 p.m.