LENDING TO DEFEND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 28 October 1941, Page 2

LENDING TO DEFEND

(To the Ediiorj Sir. — 1 watched with considerable interest last week the progress on the Post Office flagpole of the "Money Ball" indicating the amounts received daily towards our quota of National Savings, and I was dismayed to see that, by Saturday, one-third only of the quota had been obtained. 1 understand that the weekly quota allotted our city of 14.000 people is approximately £l*oso, which is equivalent to Is 4d a week per head. Surely. Sir, the saving of such a small sum as our contribution towards the defeat of Hitler and his hordes is infinitesimal in comparison with the sacrifices which our soldiers are expected to make on ou: behalf. While writing this letter, I heard the 2YA radio announcer say. "We are now switching over to Trentham Park for racing results," so I tuned in to Auckland only to be greeted with a similar announcement. Now, Sir, I consider myself a sport and therefore realise that 1 must not single out racing in particular, nevertheless, the coincidence ot writing this whilst listening to racing results, prompts me to question the patriotism of our people who can find the money to place on the totalisator before they give my comrades the small weekly financial backing so urgently needed to see the job through We teach our children in school that work or duty comes before play: we then employ a teacher—or a dictator —to apply the same principles uo ourselves? Unless we do this, or voluntarily place duty first we are once again proving to the children that our teachings are false in that we are educating them to "Do as we say, not do as we do.” I have been informed that Nelson is holding a record of which we should be justly proud—that is, that there are proportionately more group savers in this city than in any other city or town in the Dominion with a population of over 10.000. What use, however, is this record if we fail to lend the amount required of us? Always we look to the business community, the leaders of industry, and therefore the leaders of the people to set the example. Surely they will not fail us in this vital war task of "Lending to defend." —I am, etc., RETURNED SOLDIER. Nelson, 28th Oct.