POPPY DAY SALES IN WANGANUI AN ALL-TIME RECORD

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 April 1950, Page 4

POPPY DAY SALES IN WANGANUI AN ALL-TIME RECORD

Poppy Day sales in Wanganui, made by the Returned Services’ Association, with the voluntary and efficient help of its women’s section have already reached an all-time record--more than £7OO, and contributions from the schools are still to come in! “This has been a wonderful response, ’ said the president of the Wanganui R.S.A. tMr. Harvey Gnberd) last night. “It means that so many more men who have fallen on bad limes, will be helped. It is a gesture which the R S.A. appreciates very highly, public confidence in the ability of this association to perform one oi the most important tasks it was formed to perform, the caring lor tnose exservicemen wno need that little bit of extra help to enable them to overcome difficulties of today..

“The men we are helping weix young and vigorous when they went away to serve. As the years pass they grow oldei, and as they grow, they realise just what the stresses and strains of war mean. They pass by, those stresses and strains, when men are young, but with each passing year they fall more heavily. Those men who served their couutry in time oi’ need are the men we help with our Poppy Day fund, and it is gratifying to know that the public is with us in that respect. “We wish to thank all who have donated to the cause, and who helped the cause in other ways, particularly our women s section.’’

The previous record sales were established last, year, when £632 12s 9d was collected. Collections made by women in Victoria Avenue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. yesterday totalled £297 10s. From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. the men’s executive of the R.S.A. took over and during that time they collected £43 7s 6d. Door-to-door sales in the city and suburbs amounted to more than £330.

Last night the president of the women's section o.' the R.S.A., Miss Margaret Merer, ether, thanked all women helpers who had generously assisted with collections. She particularly thanked the women's section who had done “marvellous’’ work. Miss Merowether said she was proud of Wanganui that, such a good response was forthcoming.

The women's section, which organised the collection, experienced a very busy time. Fortunately, Poppy Day was favoured by perfect weather, which helped to make the work of the collectors pleasant. The roster of street corner collectors repesented many women's organisations. Probably the busiest of all the willing helpers were Mesdames Hirst and R. Young and Miss L. Ballinger, who remained at the hall throughout the day to serve tea to the collectors. Miss Merewether was in charge of the women’s activities. Tributes were paid to the work of the secretary of the R.S.A. (Mr. E. Barfiett). Wellington Poppy Day in Wellington city and suburbs this year brought in over £lOO more than the total lor last year. The contents of the collection boxes counted at. the Wellington R.S.A. headquarters last night totalled £3918 18s 9<L Last year's total at the same time was £3802 3s 3d. Contributions from outside Wellington and from business houses in the city have still to be counted. Last year they brought the total io £4491 Is lid. The Hutt Valley R.S.A. appeal realised £lOl2 8s Id, a record for the district. This sum was £9O 16s 8d more than last year. Lower Hult and its environs contributed £775 19s Id Io the total, a rise of £99 5s 9d on 1949, and Pctone £236 9s/ ‘ Auckland I More than £4OOO was received by the Auckland Returned Services Association from yesterday’s Poppy Day appeal. With returns from a number of clubs yet to be handled, it is expected that last years collection of £4OSO will be exceeded by several hundred pounds. Dunedin The sum of £2513 7s was collected in the Dunedin Returned Services Association's Poppy Day appeal, there being a number of small amounts stilt to come in. Last year £2587 175 9d was collected, wh'.ch was a few pounds short of the 1948 record total.