Aid For Britain Plan Defended £5OO IN WEEK

Northern Advocate, 18 October 1947, Page 7

Aid For Britain Plan Defended

£SOO IN WEEK

“An unthinking and most ungenerous statement,” was how the secretary of the Whangarei District Progressive Society (Mr W. R. Vallance) today described a statement made by Mr H. T. Bates, a member of the Bay of Islands Hospital Board. Mr Bates was speaking during a discussion when the Miss Northland p».rcels-for-Britain appeal was before the board at its meeting on Thursday night. “It’s a ramp all the way—l am certain of that,” he declared, adding that “nothing is surer than that Britain’s troubles today emanate from a planned shortage.” “A splendid public lead has been given by the Whangarei Borough Council, the North Auckland Electric Power Board, the Happiness Club, the Lawn Tennis Association, the Chamber of Commerce, the Whangarei Racing Club, and many others, with most generous and spontaneous donations,” said Mr Vallance. Whangarei raised £135 in one day, Dargaville £l5O in a few hours, Kaikohe and Whakapara £6O, Portland £35, and contributions were quickly coming in from other districts, he went on.

“Members of the Progressive Society have organised the raising of £SOO in one week. This is twice the nomination fee for Miss Northland, he said. . . “Before again calling this project a ramp, the society asks Mr Bates to put himself in the position of a householder in Britain, who, in a few weeks time, will receive a substantial paicel from New Zealand, marked, perhaps, with the words ‘with best wishes and good luck from Kawakawa, N.Z” “The glow of thankful' satisfaction that will enlighten that household and many thousands of other homes in the cold of England’s winter will be a sufficient reward to those over here who are privileged to give a helping hand,” Mr Vallance continued. “We are thankful that the generous in Northland far outnumber the ungenerous.” , “Mr Bates’ attention should be drawn to the remarks of Mr Picot, New Zealand Commissioner of Supply, who on his return from England stated: ‘British workers are tired, and their understandable weariness is slow to depart. It is due to lack of variety in their diet, and until this is rectified, a return to pre-war vigour cannot be expected.’ “Is it a ramp to endeavour, in hovyever small a way, to provide this variety in the diet that is so lacking at Home, and which we in Northland have in abundance?" Mr Vallance asked in conclusion.

Strike-Ridden Lands Cannot Expect Aid

(Rec. 12.30 p.m.) PARIS. Oct. 16. Senator Bridges, leader of the United States Senate Appropriations Committee touring Europe, said countries in which production was being lost through Communist-inspired strikes could not expect aid from America. Ho reported that French Cabinet Ministers who met United States investigators, assured them that theie was no possibility of Communists coming into power in France so long as there was "reasonable cooperation.’ Mr Bridges added: "We definitely hope France will not be Communistcontrolled. “Americans are becoming anxious about how their money is spent.” Communist-inspired strikes had cost Italy one-third of her crops. "The strike we see in France today does not add to our feeling of enthusiasm,” he remarked.

CANCELLED. —All air services from Paraparaumu were cancelled today as the aerodrome was waterlogged. Special services may be run tomorrow.