"FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20602, 28 June 1930, Page 12

"FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY."

Whoever was responsible for giving "drive" so merciful a content as. that marking its use by the Commercial Travellers' and Warehousemen's Association to-day probably thought most of the vigour of the campaign ; and this idea, native to the word, is fully justified in the splendid organisation, year year, ot' this excellent piece of philanthropic work. In the thorough preparation, compressed into a few busy days, and the five hours of house-to-house collection, there is active and intense energy fully Avorthy of the cause. Then, in the assorting and distributing of the beneficent harvest, there is' the same ardent focussing of effort on the purpose in hand. To enlist the voluntary service of so many capable helpers, to direct the enterprise, to carry it through to its kindly end, and to do all this with swift and sure touch, is indeed to "drive'' to fine purpose. Yet the word may be pressed home to-day to the hearts of the tens of thousands whose gifts will be so vigor ously solicited. There is an urgency in' the need that is to be mot, and these hearts may well foci an impelling constraint to do their utmost at short notice. Life is going hard with many—very many, all too many —of the poor in our midst this winter. Never was a day with more urgent impulses to practical pity, and the "drive" of this should bo in us all. As the fivo-pointdd star—the official badge of the association's workers—goes round to-day throughout the city and district, it should prompt a radiating generosity. To impress the need is scarcely necessary: it cries aloud in every heedful heart. To urge immediate response, with all that can be spared and then a little more—this is here done, and confidence in the goodwill of kindly men and women, born with heavenly compassion in their breasts, prompts the expectation that this gracious effort will meet everywhere as eager and ungrudging response as it deserves. I