War Loan subscriptions

The Newfoundland Regiment marching back to their billets after an engagement at Monchy-le-Preux. ...
The Newfoundland Regiment marching back to their billets after an engagement at Monchy-le-Preux. — Otago Witness, 5.9.1917.
"Have you subscribed to the War Loan?" — a bit ago the question of the hour—now gives place to "How much are you subscribing?" The War Loan is the "Liberty Loan" because there is nothing of liberty about it.

Subscribing is quite voluntary, only you must. For shirkers, Sir Joseph Ward has a series of ingenious penalties based on multiples of your income tax. You won’t understand it, nobody does; but you will pay all the same. Stimulated by this incitement, the zeal for subscribing and for persuading other people to subscribe has risen to a height. A Self-Denial Week has been proposed, after the manner of the Salvation Army. We are to resolve ourselves into a revival meeting,—no picture shows, no tobacco, no drinks; every penny saved to be put into the Great Liberty Loan. Patriotism demands it,—we are helping to win the war; and at the same time we are making a profitable investment. Four and a-half per cent free of income tax, as good as 5 per cent., say, and the nation saved to boot! The unanimous feeling is that we must certainly lend Sir Joseph his stipulated twelve millions, even if we have to borrow the money to do it. — Civis.

Day of prayer

The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) stated  that, in accordance with requests received, the Cabinet had determined that Sunday, October 7, should be set apart as a day for national prayer in connection with the war. The various churches were being asked to make their arrangements for the proper observance of this day. 

Rush at Savings Bank

The officials at the Dunedin Post Office Savings Bank state that yesterday they experienced the busiest day that has ever fallen to their lot. Yesterday was the last day of the month, and from 9 o’clock in the morning till 4 o’clock in the afternoon there was a rush of depositors desirous of withdrawing their savings for the purpose of transferring their money to the War Loan. As a matter of fact, the officials were at times unable to cope with the rush, and a large mass of work had to be held over to be dealt with after the office had closed to the public at 4 o’clock. The office was opened again from 7 o’clock till half-past 8 in the evening. Today is a half-day, and it is anticipated that another rush of intending investors in the War Loan will take place, and again in the evening from 7 o’clock till half-past 8. All the returns from the Otago branch offices have also to go through the Dunedin office. The sharebrokers expect their busiest day on Monday, when the applications for investment in the War Loan will close. The figures are nightly telephoned to Wellington, and the total amount which the Otago people have put into the loan will probably be available for publication on Tuesday morning. It only remains to add that the postal officials supply all information to intending investors with the greatest patience and courtesy, though at times their patience must be a good deal taxed.

Rabbit trapping

Rabbit-catching has been carried on unceasingly all through the winter. An abundance of men, nearly all from Dunedin, have been coming and going, and judging by the bales and sacks going forward they have found it remunerative (says the Alexandra Herald). Almost every trap one passes on the road has its parcel of skins. The happy hunting grounds of bunny are infested with their young. Their supposed enemy, the weasel, is living on fowl-yard fruits. — ODT, 1.9.1917.

 

• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

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