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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 9, No. 3. April 13, 1946

Relief Campaign Needs Your Help

Relief Campaign Needs Your Help

"Help us to help ourselves. We are neither loafers nor beggars, but it so happens that we are destitute and that our state of poverty is detrimental not only to the reconstruction of our own Continent but also to world renaissance. You have always needed and will always need our scholars and men of science, just as we need yours. Today it is only by means of your money that Europe can build up her peace army of scientists and technicians, scholars and artists. You, in your turn, will reap benefit from the consequent revival in our music and poetry, dance and the plastic arts."

This is an extract from an open letter from a European student which has just come into the hands of the ISS Committee at Victoria College. This movement for World Student Relief began in 1943 on the basis of the European Student Relief Fund already started in 1940 to help students in the Countries occupied. As the war extended further, and beyond the frontiers of Europe, WSR became the expeditionary force of the ISS, bringing material and spiritual aid to thousands of student prisoners of war, and helping student internees and refugees to continue their studies under the hardships of modern war.

The work of WSR is now a very urgent matter. Those countries devastated by war have to he rebuilt and the people rehabilitated. In this task the role of WSR is to help students and professors victimised by war, without discrimination us to race, religion, nationality or sex. Further, WSR must continue its war relief [unclear: programme] for those thousands of students in prison camps in Canada, France, Great Britain, and the U.S.A. and for student internees and refugees in many other purls of the world.

How can we help? New Zealand University and Teachers' Training College students have helped materially in the past, and they are being asked to help again this year. Our goal is £500 to be raised by Wellington students. At Victoria this year there are approximately 1,800 students. If everyone contributed 10, we would collect £900 for WSR. Or if every student gave 2/6 each, the sum Would reach approximately £225. In 1941, students of Victoria College raised £67. In 1945 students throughout New Zealand raised over £2,000 for WSR. Of this amount Victoria College students raised £266 by means of direct contributions and student work-days. This year the ISS Committee at Victoria College have organised work-days for Saturdays 6th and 13th April. If students cannot make a cash donation to WSR will they contact ISS and offer to do a day's work for the relief of students abroad. Meanwhile, by means of press and broadcast, the public are being informed of the needs of WSR, and of ways by which they can assist in raising our quota.