IN AID OF THE NEEDY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2309, 30 November 1925, Page 7

IN AID OF THE NEEDY

Commercial Traveller/ Charity Day OVER £3OO RAISED Although Palmerstonlans are by jneans sluggish In their response to appeals for the poor and needy, there Is no doubt that it was the irresistible drawing force of the Commercial Travellers that resulted In the’ hand* some sum of over £BOO being ralse'd on Saturday for charitable purposes. The methods adopted were novel and no effort was spared by the dozens of willing workers to make the day the; cpmplete successs that it was. The campaign was opened In thi early morning when a number of cars set out on a complete ‘'call” of th® town and also Feildlng. In an effort to dispose of 15,000 buns. The response from the early-rising public was tit* atantanoous, the whole of the "bake" being sold, the fund profited to th« handsome extent of £l2O. As soon as the workers could ba re-organised, the busy portions of th* Square were raided by fancy-costumed vendors of balloons, windmillsi oranges, pineapples, potatoes, greenj peas and other commodities, all of which sold readily. In this manner 110 cases of oranges, 25 cases of .’ pineapples, 6000 balloons and 3000; windmills were disposed of, the re-' turns swelling the Charity fund considerably. ' , | Side events such as the fancy cob* tume parade attracted many Interest* ed and amused spectators, who were gradually decoyed to the auction sale near the Clarendon hotel where a lorry load of gifts was quickly turned into cash under the hammer of Mr. Geo. Broad. A canvas of the town for cash donations resulted Ip £57 being collected and when the weary worker# finished for the evening, the fund stood at £270. “Breaking” the Sabbath.

Satturday, however, by no mcani saw the end of the Travellers' efforts* an after-church sacred concert having been organised for last evening at the Opera House, which waa crowded for the occasion. By that means another £B3 was added to th. 9 fund, bringing it up to well over £Boo* The programme submitted was a moaq entertaining one and thoroughly ejw joyed by the large audience. The con* trlbutors were as follows:—Pland duets, Miss Ricketts and Mr. Dean} songs, Mr. McKegg; recitations, Miss Rona Day; violin duets, Messrs. Tucker and Gough; songs, Mrs. E. Cook; songs, Miss Whatley; sonsg, Mrs. Kendall; songs, Mr. Bagnall. At a suitable juncture in the programme, occasion was taken by the Mayor, Mr F. J. Nathan, to congratulate the Travellers on behalf of the citizens for the splendid response that had been given to their efforts. He mentioned that the money was to ha put aside for the assistance of any deserving or charitable object and would be administered by trustees of whom two at least would be prominent citizens not connected in any way with the Commercial Travellers Associaiton. Mr Nathan also stated that he had been asked to thank all who had assisted in the appeal and on his motion a hearty vote of thanks to the Travellers for their thoughtfulness in starting the fund, was carried by acclamation.

Mr Paul Rabone, president of the Palmerston North branch of the Association, in returning thanks stated that the Association was always ready to help any deserving cause, not only in Palmerston but also in the district. During the last five years something like £IOOO had been given to charity not Including the present campaign. He also wished to thank the artists who had contributed to the programme. v A subsequent collection taken as the audience was dispersing, realised £4/11/6. A party of about ten Commercial Travellers will continue the efforts today at the Feilding races, by selling badges. SELLING BIJNS ON SATURDAY. (Contributed.) If anyone desired evidence of the great popularity of the Commercial Traveller he only required to engage in the house to house canvass selling buns on Saturday. The townspeople in most cases were waiting with the shilling ready to pay the bun-vendor on arrival, and took the opportunity of extolling the good work of the travellers. It was also noticeable that there was more appreciation of the travellers’ charity appeal from the poorer resident than from the richer, and more buns were sold in tie cottage residence area than in places where the houses were more pretentious. A student of human nature had much to interest him in those who answered the knock on the door. Some were willing to pay more than the 1/- a bag, others considered the price too high. Some made their own —thank you; others had just got in a supply; father had gone and left a cheque too big to cash; mother had only 6d in the house. One lady said she never bought anything on Saturday—another said 12 buna were too many for her. The latter was pleased to learn there were only 4 buns in the bag as she was living alone. One perfect gentleman ordered the bun merchant off the premises and a dog at another house left an impression of his teeth in the calf of a dentist’s Igg, the said dentist being one of the assistants in the early morning campaign. The experience altogether to the writer was a delightful one and he has realised that the poor help the poor; that there is a great deal of human kindness about, and that the travellers Sfa a lot of good fellows.