"We Will Remember Them"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22100, 4 May 1935, Page 4 (Supplement)

"We Will Remember Them "

ANZAC REMEMBRANCE CAMPAIGN DEAR BOYS AND GIRLS,— I wish I could pans on to all of you, and to our grown-up readers as welli something of the happiness and gratitude I have felt this week for the immediate and truly inspiring response thai: hsis been made to our appeal on behalf of the returned soldiers! This very firsit letter 1 opened when I came to my office on Monday morning contained a crisp, clean £5 note, and every mail since has contained envelopes bearing the significant words, *" Anzac Remembrance Fund. When you glance at the first list, below and see tho splendid total, over £lB for the first week of our campaign, you will realise what a wealth of sympathy and remembrance there is in the heaxts of our people for the returned men. And it must be remembered, too, that this list does not contain the names of wealthy donors—many of them are just struggling country people, boys and girls sending in their half-crowns, mothers and sinters of men who fought and died—but the flame of remembrance burns :in their hearts, and that is a flame of enduring brightness and glory no money in the world can light, nor the wealth of Midas himself keep ali:gjjt, if there is no quality of love and sympathy in the heart to keep jits brightness forever undimirned. So, knowing something of tthe individual sacrifice and kindness that has prompted this swift and wonderfully generous response, I thank you all, not only for the donations, but for the kindly messages of remembrance and appreci* ation that have come with them. Among the donations was one of 4s Id, from a native school some 30 miles from Tauranga, forwarded by the secretary of the Bay of Plenty Returned Soldiers' Association. Th<s children of this school held a small concert in aid of needy returned soldiers, and charged one penny admission, thus collecting the sum named. I think they .showed a very fine spirit, and it would be a good idea if other schools could follow their example. Now I want to tell you of a splendid idea for making our first distribution of gifts a memorable one. As you know, Monday is the day of celebration of our King's Jubilee, and it seemed most fitting that these unfortunate men who served their King so faithfully, and who have suffered so bitterly, should be made a little hapoier on that great day, so I havo arranged with the delegates of the Returned Soldiers' Association who visit the Mental Hospital on Saturday to take out with them an extra £5 worth of nweetu and cigarettes, explaining to them that it is a special Jubilee gilft from our boys and girls, and readers of the Herald. If you will read the letter printed below you will realise something of the self-sacrificing work that is being done by these delegates, and what a tremendous encouragement it is to them to know that there are so many kind folk willing to help them in their labour of love. While I hope we shall be able to maintain a liberal subscription list each week, I realise there are a great many people who cannot afford even a small donation of money, much as they might like to talie part in our campaign, so 1 will tell you of another idea that came to me this week. Many people might ike to send in perhaps just a packet of cigarettes, some tobacco, cake of chocolate or a tin of sweets. Well, these gifts will be most welcome, and, as the parcels will be only small ones, for once our strict rule will be relaxed, and they may ba sent to me here at the Herald! Office. So will all of you who are able please buy an extra packet of cigarettes, tin of tobacco or bag of sweets when you purchase your own, and you who have a deft hand for sweet-mak.ng put in an extra cup of sugar, and pack up a small tin for the returned soldiers and send it to me here as soon as possible? Please remember to place a slip containing your name in these gifts, which will be acknow- A* ledged in a special list. And may it be a lone and generous one! 1/ jf Love and a heart-felt " THANK YOU " to you all from Your friend, CASH DONATIONS AND GIFTS OF SWEETS AND CIGARETTES TO BE FORWARDED TO Miss Elsie K. Morton, New Zealand Herald Office, envelopes and parcels to be marked plainly " ANZAC REMEMBRANCE CAMPAIGN."