£l00,000 RELIEF

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21218, 14 September 1940, Page 9

£loo,ooo RELIEF

AIR RAID SUFFERERS NEW ZEALAND CONTRIBUTION TO BE SENT IMMEDIATELY (By Tele graph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday An announcement that the Government ha/ sanctioned the immediate transmission of £IOO,OOO New Zealand currency to the Lord Mayor of London’s fund for the relief of distress caused by German air raids was made by the Governor-General, Lord Galway, as chairman of the National Patriotic Fund Board tonight. In a statement Lord Galway said it had been decided to make the grant in recognition and admiration of the wonderful courage and fortitude of the people of London during the most difficult times through which they were passing. This ! finance would be provided by the i National Patriotic Fund Board ; through its Dominion-wide organisation. Details of the allocation among the constituent patriotic authorities of the board were now being arranged, but in order that New Zealand should make its gesture at ; once, the standing committee of the : National Patriotic Fund Board had j approved of the gift. The £IOO,OOO includes the provision of £IO,OOO made from the Sick. Wounded and Distress Fund by the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the Red Cross Society today at a meeting presided over by Sir James Elliott. The amount will be transmitted to the joint war organisation of the Red Cross and Order of St. John in London to provide immediate assistance for the relief of distress. LOFTY SPIRIT COURAGE OF BRITAIN OUR RESOLVE STRENGTHENED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday “One must feel the highest admiration for the spirit of the people 1 of London and of the United Kingdom as a whole,” said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, when referring in an interview tonight /io the bombing raids in England. “I have personally received cablegrams from friends in areas bombed and in them the predominant note was expressed in the terms ‘Thumbs up’ and ‘Smiling through.’ Similar evidence is available from all parts of Great Britain. “The British spirit found eloquent expression in the forcible and moving address of Mr Churchill, which was reported in New Zealand yesterday. Every glowing word breathed the spirit and indomitable courage of the British people and the fixed determination of the British Commonwealth. The Rt. Hon. Arthur Greenwood also expressed in striking graphic fashion the soul of Great Britain. They both spoke for millions of people in the British Isles, while Dorothy Thompson, in a most impressive way, has voiced the sentiments of the overwhelming majority of the American people. Strengthen Resolve “While New Zealand’s sympathy with the victims of these bombing outrages is deep and sincere, the barbarous attacks on them strengthen the resolve of the people of this Dominion to put forward ever? greater efforts, if possible, side by side with the Mother Country and other members of the British Commonwealth, in the fight against the evil thing called Nazism and to carry on that struggle to final victory.” Mr Fraser said the members of the Government and all former colleagues in Parliament of the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, Mr W. J. Jordan, were relieved to learn there were no casualties at New Zealand House. The conduct of the members of the staff through a trying time had been most praiseworthy. The following cablegram was received by Mr Fraser today from Mr Jordan:—“l have to inform you that a delayed-action bomb fell close to the vicinity of the ©fflee. All adjoining premises were c'osed by the police as unsafe to enter until it exploded. I have made temporary arrangements elsewhere lor urgent business affairs. The' action and spirit of the staff is excellent.”