TOWN SALES RISE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19919, 22 April 1939, Page 4

TOWN SALES RISE

POPPY DAY EFFORT £3OO TAKEN YESTERDAY SUSTAINED ENTHUSIASM Sales of poppy blooms in the town and suburban areas yesterday yielded £3OO to the funds of the Gisborne Returned Soldiers' Association, this sum being £3O greater than had been received on any previous Poppy Day. If the proceeds of the annual appeal are as- good this year as last in the country and Coast districts, the association will have set up a record.

The splendid return from the town sales yesterday was due to the sustained' enthusiasm of the voluntary sales force, who continued their efforts through a cold and rainy day, and did not cease until the streets were cleared after the closing of shopping premises well on in the evening. The work of these volunteers deserves the highest credit, for had selling ceased at the usual time, the returns would have been well down by comparison with 1938.

Sellers and Public Thanked

"Our association cannot too warmly express its gratitude to our sales force," said Colonel R. F. Gambrill, president of the association, discussing the effort to-day. "The rainy conditions during the morning and afternoon kept many people at home, and though almost everyone who was approaches bought a poppy, the volume of sales was much lower than usual for the first few hours. But for the sellers maintaining their efforts into the evening, when people finally did come into the business area in larger numbers, we should have been a good deal short of the result finally attained.

"The public has given another convincing demonstration of sympathy with the 'Diggers for whom the association is working," added Colonel Gambriil. "We will make a proper acknowledgment of this support later, but in the meantime I should like to express the thanks of those who took, part in the Poppy Dajy campaign for the kindliness with which the sellers were received, and the whole-hearted way in which the appeal was endorsed."

Some days must elapse before all the country returns are in the hands af the association, for some of, the agencies are in remote parts of the district. Arrangements have been made to complete a quick tally of the major returns, however, and it is almost eer.tain that ,1939's Poppy Day campaign will have set a record for the district.