Million Pounds Appeal

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 229, 27 September 1940, Page 8

Million Pounds Appeal

CITY AND COUNTY EFFORT STARTED

At a meeting held in Palmerston North last night a committee was set up to organise the efforts that the city and Kairanga county are asked to make to find their share of the million pounds’ appeal to be launched in October. The Mayor, Mr. A. E._ Mansford, presided and explained that this was the third major appeal. Nominally it -was a national appeal but the provinces wero conducting it. Of the million pounds, £IOO,OOO would be devoted to the London distress fund and the balance used for comforts for soldiers and their rehabilitation on their return to New Zealand. The appeal for London distress had already started but the main effort would be in October and it was hoped to have the million raised by November 25 though he was not overoptimistic about all the money being to hand by that date. A sum of £3500 had beeu set aside for advertising the campaign throughout the Dominion. The city and county would be required to find just under £20,000. The Mayor stated that if any donor insisted that a donation was for one only of the three objects of the appeal, such as London distress, then that donation would have to be kept separate. He hoped the appeal would be successful. The committee set up comprised the Mayor, Messrs J. C. Young, G. Tremaine, J. A. Grant, K. A. Henderson, C. V. Day, W. G. Black, A. McKegg, P. Aekins and W. R. Hopcroft. The committee was given power to co-opt the services of various organisations in city and county. Mr. Day was appointed secretary and Mr. J. R. Hardie treasurer.

Answering questions, the Mayor said that when it came to rehabilitating the troops, the matter would be dealt with on a national basis so that there was fear of a soldier enlisting from one locality getting treatment different from a soldier from another place. Mr. Young urged that as a start the London distress money be appealed for first with the public given the understanding that anything over the required amount from Palmerston North and county (■something like £2000) would go to the major portion of the fund.