AID FOR FRANCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10001, 19 June 1918, Page 8

AID FOR FRANCE

MAYOR'S EEKEY TO MINISTER. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr J. P. Luke, C.M.G.) 'has replied to the letter of the Hon. G. W. Russell' relative to the proposal to raise funds for the French Bed Cross and ether purposes, as follows:

"I hare the honour to. acknowledge the receipt of your letter' of the 17th instant, in, reply to mine of the 13th idem, ia which I applied for a permit to collect funds to be sent to the French Government for. distribution—one hnlf to the French Red Cross, and tho other half to be applied to such special urgent patriotic needs as the French Government may determine. "You state that, before you will grant approval to. the establishment of the -Tumd, you desire fuller _ information, either from tho Consul-General for Franca for the Dominion or from myself.

''As Che appeal is intended as a spontaneous expression of the Dominion'* admiration and gratitude for the vale or and sacrifices oil the French people, it ' would ba absolutely unthinkable that the committee should communicate with the Consul-General. as by so doing they would eliminate the element of spontaneity by which, alone our tribute will be of value in showing the warm and affectionate esteem the people of this Dominion have for the French, nation. Neither the French Government nor the Consul-general is soliciting aid from ♦he British community to carry on tlho war. Their ideas are more lofty, and their sense'of national honour too sacred to appoal to the British public for funds in tne manner you suggest. ,c l do not propose to traverse your statements as to the amount of money that has been raised and applied to relief in Belgium and France. AU thoso wflw have a knowledge of the appeals made know that the bulk of the money has been expended to help the Belgians, and until you furnish a statement show, ing the amount that has been donated to the French organisations there is little merit in pursuing the matter. "Wo all have profound respect for the great work of tho British Red Cross, and afeo for that af our own Eed Cross, and whatever answer you may. give to the request for a permit to make tho appeal, it will not alienate tho sympathies and aid of those interested in connection with the splendid efforts of the Bed Cross organisation*. '*! again respectfully ask you, on behalf of tho commibteo set up at the recent pufolio meeting held in the Town Ball, to grant a permit to raise funds to be sent forward to the French Government' as a token of the admiration and gratitude of tho people of the Dominion towards our illustrious Ally."