LONDON WEARS A CARNIVAL AIR

Southland Times, Issue 24440, 21 May 1941, Page 5

LONDON WEARS A CARNIVAL AIR

“WAR WEAPONS WEEK” GIRLS SELL KISSES FOR SIXPENCE (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 19. London’s War Weapons Week opened so successfully that it is likely the objective of £100,000,000 will be trebled. The atmosphere of the bomb-scarred capital resembles that of a Country Fair, with flags on posts and banners everywhere. Girls are selling kisses for sixpence and business men are handing in cheques for millions of pounds. The Lord Mayor, Sir George Wilkinson, was opening the city’s saving centre at the Mansion House when the secretary of an insurance company stepped out of the crowd and handed up a cheque for £5,000,000. Two companies subscribed £3,000,000 each and 20 companies contributed a total of £31,000,000. Crowds jammed the selling counters to buy stamps, certificates and bonds. Sixty-two local committees manned by thousands of voluntary workers gathered in contributions throughout Greater London. Subscriptions poured in through 1800 post offices, 1800 branch banks and 750 selling centres. Collectors on the Stock Exchange took £200,000 from brokers. Southgate’s objective was £250,000, but £300,000 was gathered in by the middle of the afternoon. Tottenham has already doubled its objective of £250,000. CHEQUE FOR £5,000,000 When the Lord Mayor opened the savings centre at Mansion House Mr P. C. Crump, joint secretary of the Prudential Assurance Company, handed him a cheque for £5,000,000 worth of 2| per cent, national war bonds. Sir George announced that he had been promised more than £4,000,000 by other commercial houses.

General Sir Walter Kirke, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces, said Londoners were fighting valiantly on all fronts and those at home were obviously determined not to let them down.

The Munich Agreement, signed by Mr Neville Chamberlain and the dictators, is on show at Hammersmith Town Hall with the treaty in which Germany guaranteed Belgian neutrality before the last war.