£700 COLLECTED IN INVERCARGILL

Southland Times, Issue 23792, 14 April 1939, Page 5

£700 COLLECTED IN INVERCARGILL

POPPY SELLERS’ EFFORTS PRAISED

“Last year more than £7OO was collected in the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association’s territory through the efforts of poppy sellers,” said the president of the Invercargill association, Mr H. C. Mackenzie, at a social given to poppy sellers in the association’s club rooms on Wednesday evening. The splendid sum of £66,000 was collected throughout New Zealand from the sale of poppies last year and these funds were devoted to the relief of distressed and disabled soldiers. “This is a creditable effort.” said Mr Mackenzie, “but in view of the increasing number of soldiers breaking down in health it is anticipated that this amount will have to be substantially increased.” He praised the poppy sellers for the time and energy that they had voluntarily given to the sale of poppies. The secretary of the association, Mr J. S. Filippini, also praised the work of the poppy sellers mentioning ■ the efforts of several persons who had consistently carried on the work. It was announced that poppy week would begin on Monday, April 17 and finish with a street day on April 21. Several mouth-organ selections were given by Mr S. Edwards during the evening.