PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 67, 20 March 1942, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

MINISTERS’ ASSOCIATION TO ASSIST APPEAL ■DIKECr GIVING" FAVOURED The Wanganui committee responsible for the district's quota lowar 1 the £1,000,000 patriotic appeal has delayed launching the campaign until the “Bonds' for Bombers" Week is over. As the appeal is to be spread over several months an organised effort will not be made till later in the campaign, hut in Ihe meantime the committee hopes that individual donations on a generous scale will be fort hcoming. At the annual meeting of the Wanganui Ministers Association a letter from the Provincial Patriotic Committee was received, referring to the fact. that, the Ministers’ Association had last year protested against the raising of‘patriotic funds by gambling methods and had advocated direct giving. The letter stated that the committee was prepared to follow this method in the current appeal and asked tor the co-operation of the ministers. A report from Rev. A. C. McLean and Archdeacon J. R. Young intimated that they had interviewed the Patriotic Committee, whose quota for the citv was £9OOO, and the churches were asked to render assistance by advocating from their pulpits the method of direct giving and doing anything further to help raise the amount. After discussion. Rev. W, J. Berry moved and Archdeacon Young seconded a motion: "That our churches be asked to co-operate in the campaign of direct giving to patriotic funds; that pulpit notice be made upholding this method as more worthy than recourse to gambling and seeking the utmost support from congregations to make the public appeal by the Patriotic Committee successful.’’ It was left to individual churches to decide whether they would open a fund and appoint a collector or not, as most church people would be canvassed by other agencies. Further discussion ensued on the question of raising patriotic funds by taxation, several members maintaining that this was the most equitable way. It was not desired to interfere with the present effort but it was resolved to send the following motion to the Prime Minister: “That the Ministers’ Association reaffirm its last year’s decision that patriotic funds should be raised by taxation as the most equitable method.’’