THREE MORE DAYS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21144, 20 June 1940, Page 6

THREE MORE DAYS

DISTRESS FUND APPEAL WAIKATO AREA’S WORK GRATIFICATION EXPRESSED “The response to the appeal for the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund throughout the Waikato Centre’s area to date has been splendid,” said Mr A. E. Gibbons, President of the Waikato Centre of the Red Cross Society, today. “Although considerable ground work and preparation had been done throughout Waikato’s 30 Red Cross sub-centres for the appeal,” said Mr Gibbons, “it was not until the campaign had been under way for a week that control and co-ordin-ation of effort in the area was made possible by the Auckland Committee kindly allowing this area freedom of action and organisation. Although in some respects we got away to a late start, the effect was immediately apparent and the whole district has responded magnificently, both in untiring work by the many willing helpers and organisations and the unstinted giving by so many people.” Still Short of Quota The area however, was still short of its quota and it would depend on the la.rt three days of the campaign whether it could reach and, it was to be hoped, pass the amount it was expected to raise. In the enthusiasm for the Queen of the South the sterling effort of the Maori Queen must not be overlooked, said Mr Gibbons. Under the able guidance of Princess Te Puea Herangi, the largest sub-centre of the Red Cross Society in the Waikato had been orglanised and this one sub-centre had been brave enough to enter the lists with a Queen. Even with its limited opportunities, the Maori Queen was polling splendidly and showed how wide the appeal was in its general application. Demonstration of Confidence “The reputations of the Order of St'. John and the Red Cross Society,” added Mr Gibbons, “have always stood high in public estimation, but the way everybody has given so unstintingly is a wonderful demonstration of confidence of the public in their work. Although I have no right to speak for the Order of St. John, I know that it will share equally with the Red Cross Society the pride and gratification of this expression of confidence. It will act as an inspiration to members of both societies, under whose control the campaign throughout New Zealand is being conducted. It places a trust in the hands of these two bodies of which I am sure, individually and collectively, they are deeply sensible. “Because of their past achievements and present conscientious work, I can with the utmost confidence say that these societies will discharge this trust faithfully and worthily in the prosecution of they* humanitarian work for the relief of the sick, wounded and distressed of the war for whom the money is being subscribed.”