NATIONAL SAVINGS

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXXI, Issue 9640, 27 June 1941, Page 3

NATIONAL SAVINGS

CAMPAIGN MAKING GOOD PROGRESS

SHILLINGS THAT COUNT DUTY TO THE MEN ON SERVICE

By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, This Day.

In an address last evening, the chairman of the National Savings Committee, Mr T. N. Smallwood, referred to the progress in the committee’s campaign for 250,000 National Savings Accounts and stated that the number of accounts opened had now passed the 150,000 mark. He then proceeded to thank the 152,363 men, women and children, together with holders of National Savings Bonds, who to date have contributed £1,500,000 through national savings to the Dominion's war effort, and stated that it. would be a prouder day when lie was able to include the further 98,000 supporters still required to reach the objective of 250,000 National Savings Accounts.

GREAT PERSONAL DUTY

Mr Smallwood then said: "There are millions of people in the British Empire obeying the call of duty. Others await a call and ponder in tlicir hearts how best they can serve who stand and wait. Surely there can be no conflict of opinions as to the one great personal duty of everyone of us to assist our Empire in its hour of need as far as lies in our power, and I say emphatically that saving to lend to fredom’s cause is a duty within the power of the great majority of our people to some degree. As to what degree, is a matter for serious consideration and action by each and every one of us.” “We have had many letters and expiessions of resolves to hack our efforts to the utmost,” continued Mr Smallwood, “but such a campaign as this demands every ounce of effort by the whole community and to be really effective, suggests leading questions for each individual to ask himself; does my weekly budget make unwarranted demands on the limited

pplics available; can I not manage

without something to enable me to save more to assist our great-hearted lighting forces? Deeds and actions count most in this tight!”

A TWINGE OF CONSCIENCE?

Mr Smallwood concluded by saying: “There are lots of people with the best of intentions who are jus' a little forgetful, and a reminder or

twinge of conscience is required to spur them on. .1 think an apt illustration can be given by a letter once written to tlie British Chancellor of the Exchequer. It read. ‘Dear Sir, — I once defrauded you of £5. Remorse gnaws and I send you ss. When it gnaws again I shall send you some more.’ Tlie writer bad a sense of

humour, but I cannot help hoping that remorse will gnaw all of us not saving to capacity in such a crisis, and go on gnawing until we have opened the account and got ourselves into that regular deposit habit each pay-day which enables us to look each sailor, soldier or airman in the eye with the knowledge we are hacking him to our utmost to win on tlie field of battle.”