PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 123, 14 February 1940, Page 5

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

QUESTION AGAIN TO THE FORE

NATIONAL CONTROL KILLS PER-

SONAL INITIATIVE

The question of Psitriotie "Funds was again to the lore on Monday night when the Mayor informed the Council that he had received a request to call a meeting of citizens to assist the Salvation Army and the Y.M.C.A. in a campaign for the raising of £100,000.

His Worship was of the opinion that activities in Whakatane should be concentrated on behalf of the Provincial Funds as too many appeals would ruin efforts.

Cr Sullivan moved that the Council should advise the National Fund Hoard on those lines. Cr Shapley advanced the old. soldiers' \*ieAV and said that the activities of the bodies mentioned, particularly the Y.M.C.A.. were appreciated by soldiers and deserved support. "Hut this collection is for the National Fund and the Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army will not have any control," said Cr Sullivan, and he was supported by the Mayor, who said that although these, bodies were to do the collecting they would have to hand over the proceeds to the National Board. In reply to Cr Canning, His Worship said there was nothing to show that the bodies mentioned would retain the funds. Cr Sullivan outlined the system of National and Provincial Funds and said it looked as though all efforts should be directed to building up the Provincial funds. He appreciated what Cr Shapley had said concerning the services rendered by the Salvation Army and the Y.M.C.A but reiterated that they would not control the funds collected.

Gr Shapley slated that the only fu-ncl the fighting man of the last war received any benefit from was the Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army.

"It may be that "the National Funds Board will vote sums to those bodies," said Gr Sullivan. "And the Provincial Fund can make donations to the National effort, so 1 think we should concentirate on the Provincial," said the Mayor. Regulations Stifling Enthusiasm. Cr Canning said it appeared to him that there was more vim about the people in the last war. There were all sorts of ways of collecting money then, and on one occasion he remembered they had collected £1000 in one day at the Domain. "I think/' said the councillor, "that Whakatane led the smaller towns in the amounts collected."

His Worship the Mayor said the personal touch had been killed by regulations. One day last week he had had a Maori from lluatoki in to see him. The Maori explained a scheme the natives had formulated w hereby every Avorking man contributed 2s fid per month towards a central fund, which, it was intended, should be used for farewelling Maori troops. His informant, said the Mayor, had told him that the difficulty facing those in charge of the scheme was not so much to collect the levy as to limit it to 2s fid.

"He wanted to know about the regulations," said the Mayor, '"and I had to explain that the levy was outside them. He then said that if he Avere to go back to Ruat.oki and explain all about National and Provincial Patriotic Funds, the people would lose interest..

"In effect," said His Worship, "the regulations are stillling enthusiasm; personal initiative is killed."' Cr Sullivan's motion Avas seconded by the Mayor and avo.s carried.