AN OPEN LETTER.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 96, 22 August 1918, Page 3

AN OPEN LETTER.

To Residents in the EVlatamata Riding of the Matamata County. YOU will be aware that an appeal is being made for funds for the Red Cross throughout the Auckland province. The Matamata County comes into line with the rest of the provinco in finding money to aid the sick and wounded. The Matamata County has set as its objective £IO,OOO, hut it hopes to raise a great deal more for the Grand cause. The Matamata Riding, which also takes in the Matamata Town area, lias to raise £3737 13s 3d of this amount. Otherwise it will he to its shame. You have either been, or will he asked to give to the Red Cross Fund' Before you make up your mind find out all about the Red Cross and think over wliafc your duty is to that Society. The mission of the Red Cross is to attend to the wounded soldiers, to look after OUR BOYS who have been wounded and maimed and mutilated in saving us from the horrors of war and in the cause of liberty. The Red Cross is the greatest organisation of MERCY in the world. The Red Cross last year spent four and a-lialf million pounds on its good work, and it ended the year with a deficit of £187,872. Can you not understand the enormous expense that the Red Cross is under ? When a married man goes to the front the country looks after his dependents. It takes that worry off his mind. It is the country’s duty. Is it not our duty to relieve that man’s dependents of all worry ? Is it not our duty to see that the men who are fighting for us should receive every attention and care and comfort if they are wounded ? Would you like your son, or your brother, or any relative or any friend to come back from the wav and say thatjie had suffered because tliore were not sufficient medical comforts to ease him in his hour of need ? Would you not reproach yoursolf ? Would not your wife and family reproach you ? It is much our duty to see that the men wounded in the fight receive every attention as it is to pay for the war. The Red Cross cannot do this unless it has the funds. The Red Cross is the ONLY organisation which looks after the s ick and wounded on the battlefield. Every pound you give is to help the wounded. Think over your duty to the Red Cross. The more you think the more you will give. Your donations are credited to you and your district, or to any district to which you may think fit to subscribe. This is the greatest opportunity you have ever had, and probably will have, of being merciful and helping humanity. And so I would ask you not only on behalf of the Matamata boys, but on behalf of the soldiers of the British Empire to give freely, and help to raise, not the paltry sum that has j been allotted to this district, but three times the amount at least. You ought to do it! You can do it, for remember the War lias made New Zealand prosperous compared with other countries. JOSEPH PRICE, Chairman of Executive.