"POPPY DAY" TO-DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21164, 22 April 1932, Page 8

"POPPY DAY" TO-DAY.

APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC. AID FOR EX-SERVICEMEN. " Poppy Day," which for years has been held on the Friday before Anzac Day, will be observed in Auckland today. It provides far more than the opportunity for another street collection; it provides an opportunity for. the public to remember in tangible fashion the living thousands of ex-servicemen, many of whom have fallen on difficult times. On Monday, the thoughts of New Zealanders will turn to thoso who did not come back; to-day their thoughts should turn just as naturally to those who did come back, some of them maimed and disabled, some of them to a long search for work, but all of them worthy of public honour and gratitude.

Thousands of artificial poppies have been made this year by disabled returned soldiers, 16 of whom have been kept in employment in this manner since last September. The materials for the flowers have to be imported, but the petals have to bo stamped out and all the other work performed locally. The Auckland branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association has this year undertaken to provide the supply of poppies for the whole of the Auckland Province.

Stalls will be established this morning throughout the city and suburbs and will bo conducted by hundreds of lady helpers. This year 20 per cent, of the proceeds will be allocated to the funds of the Returned Soldiers' Association and the remaining 80 per cent, will be used for the relief of distress among ex-servicemen. A little over £ISOO was collected last year, compared with about £2OOO in each of the two preceding years. Although tho country is faced with bad times, it is felt that this is one appeal in particular which should riot bo allowed to suffer.