WAR SERVICE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4534, 9 February 1942, Page 5

WAR SERVICE

LIGHTENING THE BURDEN THIS YEAR’S REQUIREMENTS “ The New Zealand Forces have grown considerably in numbers, and our responsibilities have increased since the national patriotic appeal was made in the early part of last year,” said Mr G. A. Hayden, secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board, when referring to the fund-raising activities that will be necessary this year to keep New Zealand sailors, soldiers, airmen, and nurses provided with comforts and amenities. Mr Hayden said that when the figures were placed before the conference of patriotic bodies in Wellington last November it was estimated that, including provision for sick and wounded and also prisoners of war, the Board would require £752,700 for the current year. The indications were that a greater sum than that would now be necessary. “ As a result of the Libyan campaign” said Mr Hayden, “the numbers of New Zealand prisoners of war was increased, making it necessary to provide for an additional number of weekly parcels through the service conducted for the Board by the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society. The cost alone of providing 4000 parcels weekly from the Dominion is about £2500 a week.” Mr Hayden continued: “ Other factors contributing to an increased expenditure are the extensive mobilisation ordered for Home Defence purposes and the increase in the strength of New Zealand Forces serving in certain areas overseas. Already the National Patriotic Fund Board and the Provincial Patriotic Councils have provided extra games, sports gear, and various other amenities for the benefit of men recently called up, but as time goes on it will be necessary to do more in this direction. TOTAL OF OVER £1,000,000 “ To meet all the requirements of the Board and of the eleven Provincial Patriotic Councils-over £1,000,000 will be wanted in the current year without making any provision for returning men, which is one of the most important of patriotic activities. Balances varying in amount are held by the provincial councils, but, nevertheless, it will be necessary to raise by direct appeal to the public a substantial proportion of the sum required to meet the year’s needs. “ The raising of the money is the responsibility of the provincial councils, and to ensure the success of the various fund-raising activities they will be conducting in the territories under their jurisdiction it will be necessary that they receive full public support. It is more important than ever at this stage of the war that the patriotic funds should be in a strong position to help cushion the arduousness of service for our soldiers, sailors, and airmen, and to let them know that the people at home, even though the calls on them have grown heavier, are not going to let them down. There are few people who cannot spare something for the patriotic funds, and if that principle is acted upon, instead of the job being left to relatively few, it will not take long to build up the funds required. Something much better than the response to the Christmas Day envelope appeal is required. The result of that appeal was disappointing, for an analysis of the contributions received, totalling about £15,000, shows that only a comparatively small section of the public responded.” THREE MONTHS’ EXPENDITURE Mr Hayden said that the expenditure for the first three months of the Board’s activities in the current year afforded an illustVation of the heavy calls that now had to be met. In that period expenditure out of the General Account amounted to £116,391, of which about £25,000 was recoverable, giving a net expenditure of £91,391. To this sum had to be added payments amounting to £17,368 out of the Sick and Wounded Fund, and another £6835 for prisoners of war. The grand total for three months was therefore £115,594. " No service or no amount of money we at home may give,” Mr Hayden concluded, “ can equal the sacrifice made by the man who gives up his civilian occupation to fight for his country. It is therefore up to the New Zealand patriotic organisation to do its utmost to make conditions easier for those in the Forces. That can be done only by continued generous public support.”