POPPY DAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 4

POPPY DAY

MANUFACTURE OF FLOWERS,

DISCUSSED BY R.S.A. CONFERENCE.

The question of where and by whom the flowers for. Poppy Day should bo manufactured was discussed at length at the afcnual district conference of the Returned Soldiers’ Association on Saturday, it being eventually decided to send on a recommendation to tho forthcoming Dominion conference that the poppies should be made in New Zealand by disabled soldiers, instead of being imported from France as at present. The discussion ensued on the reading of a remit from tlie Wairarapa branch: “That headquarters be requested, provided General, Russell’s report on tho distribution of poppy proceeds in France is satisfactory, that the lieturned Soldiers’ Association continue to obtain supplies from France, as it is found that the sentimental value attached to Flanders’ poppies has a big influence on their sale.

Speaking in support of the remit, Mr A. E. Prentice, the Wairarapa delegate, stated that the matter hud been discussed at the annual meeting of their branch, owing to an impression having been gained that there was a likelihood that the poppies might in the future be made in New Zealand by disabled returned soldiers, instead of by tho orphaned children of France as at present. He would not like to see the sentimental value of the poppies destroyed. Mr W. J. Pascoe (Wellington) pointed out that on the order paper there was a remit from his branch in direct contradiction, namely, that all poppies sold in New Zealand in the future should be made in this country by disabled soldiers.

The chairman (Mr B. J. Jacobs) having consented to the two remits being discussed simultaneously,. Mr Pascoe continued that his association was very keen on its proposal, but would not dissociate from the New Zealand body if support was not forthcoming. The proposal would provide iin avenue of work for disabled men and would give a new stimulus to the sale of the flowers. There were disabled men going round Wellington tryir g to exist on their pensions, and it was difficult to find them something to do. Private employers found it hard to take on pensioned men and put them alongside able-bodied employees, the result being that many disabled men drifted to Wellington in the hope that the Government would find them work. He believed that, in the manufacture ol poppies, supplemented by other artificial flowers and decorations, there was a suitable avenue of work for these disabled soldiers. In addition to the moneys received from this source, their minds would be taken off their disabilities or the illnesses from which they suffered. The speaker then traced the history of Poppy Day in New Zealand, stating tint at first the idea had been to raise fu:ads to keep the district organisations going, with the orphaned children of France making the flowers and being paid for their work. The net proceeds, however, were now being used for a better purpose—the relief of unemployment and distress among returned soldiers and their dependants. The contract with France for the manufacture of.the flowers had expired, and there was uow no reason why the disabled soldiers of the Dominion should not do the work and receive the money that was formerly sent out of the country. Mr H. G. Dickie (Waverley) spoke in favour of the Wellington remit. All other countries looked after their own interests, and, if the poppies were to be manufactured here, it would be far better for New Zealand to send the money to England rather than to France.

Mr G. D. Hamilton (Levin): We ought to do all we can to help industry among our own returned men.

FRANCE A HIVE OF INDUSTRY. Colonel A. H. Herbert (Eketahuna) commented that just after the war there had been a great sentimental attachment to the people of France. Ho had just recently returned from a visit there and had not seen an idle man or woman. From Metz to the North Sea was a hive of industry, the people working from daylight to dark. The fields of the Somme and the Ypres salient had been ploughed over and, with smaller areas excepted, were all growing crops. The French people were very practical and were doing well for their coun’try. In the manufacture of poppies he did not think that New Zealand’s disabled soldiers should be passed over. Citizens of this Dominion bought the flowers in memcry of those who had made the suI reme sacrifice, not stopping to think that the flowers were, made in France. If, in the, future, the poppies were nnde in the Dominion by disabled soldiers it would add to their value. In England the flowers were so manufactured. The poppy that New Zealand had been receiving was of very poor quality. “Our duty is to the men who are unable to do ordinary work, and if Vi e can put anything in their way that \i ill help them to earn a living, wo should do so.” If the disabled returned men of the Dominion could do the work, then employment should be given to the poor unfortunate people of England. Mr Prentice said that he was pleased t( have heard what had been said, the ri suit being that his opinion had been changed. Mr Pascoe stated that he did not tl ink for one moment that the poppies which came out to New Zealand were made by the orphaned children of France; their manufacture had obviously been commercialised. The chairman concurred with this view.

Mr Pasooe: Nine thousand pounds hi s been sent out of the Dominion during Hie past five years for the making of these poppies in France, and that amount could have been well spent here among disabled soldiers. The Wellington remit was then put to the meeting as an amendment to that from Wairarapa and was carried ui aniinously.