Greater Patriotic Demands This Year

Northern Advocate, 26 February 1944, Page 4

Greater Patriotic Demands This Year

“I think we should count it as a privilege to continue to carry ,on patriotic work, and frankly I feel that we would be failing in our duties if we did not freely offer ourselves to the patriotic organisation the activities of which lie so closely to all our hearts.” These remarks were made by the chairman (Mr W. Jones) in his memorandum to the members of (lie Whangarei District Patriotic Committee yesterday when reviewing the year ahead.

In the unavoidable absence of the chairman, Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay presided and read the memorandum.

“During last year all hands worked very hard, particularly the womenfolk whose record was one of ceaseless activity,” said the memorandum. “These efforts, as I have mentioned previously, are greatly appreciated. This year, however, will make even greater demands on all of us. Unless I am mistaken, it will be a period of great trial in our main sphere of action which is in the Pacific. “This should cause us to redouble our efforts and intensify our devotion to this great cause. “The air force and navy want urgently all the woollen goods we can send. Herein lies work for many willing hands, and I would appeal to those throughout the interzone who are not offieialy identified with our organisation to offer their services to the committees, either for knit-, ting or fund raising. All can help in one direction or another. Mr H. W. Ellis said the Maunu zone had shown a deficiency last year, chiefly due to the Kara area not contributing, thus making it difficult for the remainder of tire area.

Mr T. O’Carroll said this was the first time Maungakaramea had defeaulted due to many people failing to do their share. It was hoped to wipe out the deficiency at an early date.

Mr H. E. Hewlett stated that each district had people who sent their own parcels overseas and therefore did not contribute to patriotic appeals.

Mr G. R. McKoy had met 40 returned prisoners of war who stated that without Red Cross parcels they would have starved, Mr. Hewlett said. There were a let of people with no one overseas and any refusal to contribute to patriotic funds on their part was only a cloak to cover their own meanness. The memorandum was unanimously adopted.