“BONDS FOR BOMBERS.”

Kaikoura Star, Volume LXII, Issue 22, 19 March 1942, Page 1

“BONDS FOR BOMBERS.”

CAMPAIGN NEXT WEEK. BUY A BOND AND HELP THE BOMBERS. At a meeting of the Natinal Savings Committee held on Monday night, over which Dr. R. L. Withers presided, the following circular was received from the National Savings Central Committee, Wellington:— My committee on many occasions has discussed plans for a Dominion-wide drive for National Savings, but until the formation of local committees was completed the necessary coverage was not available. However, with the achievement of this objective, it enables the Central Committe to consider a definite campaign. More recently events have moved with such rapidity, entailing so many internal adjustments, that to obtain the assistance of the armed services was impossible, so that up to the present we feel, and no doubt your committee feels also, our campaign has suffered for want of a spectacular national drive.

The happenings in the Near East have at last brought home to us the necessity for strengthening our home front, and activities in this direction are developing rapidly. While these are our concern as citizens of this Dominion, as members of the National Savings movement our concern is directly involved with the success of the sav-

ings campaign, which, with the withdrawing of so many men from ’commercial life for the protection of our own soil, and the further restriction on the import of goods through shipping lifficulties in the Pacific, make savings doubly important. The fact that fewer civilians remain to meet the costs of maintaining larger armed forces ami that an increasingly smaller supply of goods is available for civilian purposes, does I am sure, you will agree, provide a good and sufficient reason for a special effort on our part. We therefore ask for the co-opera-tion and practical support of yourself and your committee in a special “Bonds for Bombers” Week, and look forward to great results from the concerted efforts of all committees, the whole 200 of them. Preliminary discussions took place some time ago, but to suit the convenience of the armed forces, decision was postponed. Now the word to go has been given, the idea being to combine a “Bonds for Bombers” Week with a morale week, asking of everyone resolution and determination to work, save and assist to the utmost to help the war effort. The week has been timed to commence on March 23, and although it is realised this gives little enough notice, for various reasons a later date

could not be fixed or more notice given. At this stage only an outline of our part in the programme can be given. The following, however, should enable your committee to set a programme and make preliminary plans.

1. The week will be announced by the Prime Minister about March 17, and later in the week radio “scatter” announcements will commence. On Sunday evening there will be a special Air Force programme on the air. 2. The week will be opened on Monday, March 23, at 9 a.m., by the sale of “Bomber Bonds.” Between 12,30 p.m. and 2 p.m. parades of armed forces will be arranged in all places close to camps (Army, Navy and Air Force) arrangements to be made by us that personnel not required for security purposes be released for the parade. 3. While parades are being held, flights of bombers or other planes to pass overhead in as many districts as possible. 4. It is proposed to hold the official opening ceremony at Wellington at 12,39 p.m. sharp, in conjunction with the military parade, and after a few brief introductory remarks, we will introduce a Sergeant Pilot. D.F.M., who will declare the week officially opened. The order will be given immediately for the parade to march off and the R.N.Z.A.F. Band, which will be heading the parade, will strike up with martial music as it passes the microphones. The ceremony, which it is anticipated will not last more than three or four minutes, will be broadcast over a National “link-up,” and it is suggested that where parades are being held a loud speaker system be provided at the starting point to broadcast the ceremony, and that nil parades move off simultaneously on the order being given at the Wellington ceremony.

The National “link-up” will be cut as soon as the R.N.Z.A.F. Band has passed the microphones, and from then on the local committees take over ami conduct the campaign for the rest of the week in accordance with their own plans. All National Savings Bonds sold dur ing the week to be marked “Bomber Bonds. ’' It 'is mentioned that the slogan “Bonds for Bombers” has been chosen as a slogan only. This is our call to action, concludes the letter, and on the practical support of local connnittes, including Kaikoura, depends the success of the week and the measure by which our morale, our war economy, and our war finance will benefit.” . I The local committee decided to cooperate with the movement, and arrangements were made with the Rev. W. .1. Bevis to hold a special service at St. Paul’s Church at 11 a.m., a combined service being impossible to arrange at such short notice.

The Postmaster will arrange for the sale of “Bomber Bonds” on the street and at the Post Office. The full personnel of the Medical Section of the E.P.S. are requested to parade at Takahanga Domain on Sunday at 10.30 a.m., also the members of the W.A.S.A. and other bodies associated with the war. All who can join in are cordially invited.