PATRIOTIC AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 90, 12 August 1942, Page 5

PATRIOTIC AFFAIRS

BETTER REPRESENTATION URGED LOCAL COMMITTEE'S REMITS The following points, raised by the Opotiki section of the 'Zone K' Patriotic Committee were" discussed and adopted at the last meeting of the Zone executive, and, will be forwarded; to the Provincial Council urging that they be put into active application in order to bring about much needed changes in the present Provincial organisation. 1. To restore the promised basis of Country and Metropolitan representation. 2. To earmark for every Zone and sub-zone in proportion to contribution a part of monies held, or to be ■ held, for After War Care. - 3. To provide for monthly meetings of the Provincial Council. 4. To provide any delegates, as of Tight, being' able, when lie, the de'legate, is unable to attend a Pro"vfiaicial Council meeting, to appoint a substitute Avho be recognised by the Provincial Council as possessing the same voting and other rights, powers and responsibilities as the duly.appointed delegate.

The following elaborations will •give readers a better idea of the objectives under revficw.

Re No. 1. When the regulations governing Patriotic work in New Zealand became known people in country areas Avere suspicious that the remitting of funds to. the cities would result in eventual metropolitan control ... To make it clear that this Avas not the intention delegations were sent to country centres fin the Auckland Province. The Bay of Plenty was visited by Messrs G. A. Hayden (Wellington), Iv. L. Usmar and I. J. Goldstine (Auckland) . All speakers emphasised that sthe ' country need have no tear; in the matter of representation the countrj r Avas promised a preponderance of representation on the Auckland Council. The representation 'was to be not less than 52 per cent Country and 48 per cent City. It is obA-ious that in a province such as Auckland It Avould be difficult, to ensure always 100 per cent attendance of Country members Avho had long distances to traA r el. The small adA-antage to the Country Avas therefore by no means out of the Avay. But by one addition and then another the ratio has been reA r crsed. To-day Metropolitan has about 252 per cent and the Country 48 per cent.. MoreoA r er the Avhole matter of representation requires oA'erliaul.

Re No. 2. If the 1942 All Purposes Appeal is fully 'subscribed a sum of between £300.000 and £-100,000 will be lield invested in Trustee securities by the Auckland Provincial Council for the After Care of Soldiers. Under existing regulations this After Care Fund is already being operated on by Zones and Subzones for the benefit of men who have returned. It would appear that so long as a demand is made within the scope of the regulations every Zone and Sub-zone lias what may be termed an "Open Cheque" on the fund. Many districts wished to establish local funds under local Trustees but this was not permitted; all monlies must go into the Provincial pool. It was feared that a l'ree spending Zone or Sub-zone might draw in a ■ manner that would not bear an equitable relationship to the spending of Zones and Sub-Zones generally. Nothing has happened to dispel in the country districts this fear that a "rush" may develop which will absorb quickly and inequitably the great sums whKieh have been set aside in the Province for Patriotic after care of our returned

servicemen . . . To avoid this and to restore public confidence in the Provincial sj'stcm it is urged that some such plan as "car-marking'" a part of these funds for every Zone and Sub-Zone on the basis ol' contribution should lie adopted without delay. Re No. 3. It is considered that until the Provincial Council does its own business at rnonllily meetings it is inevitable that the Standing Committee should initate general policy and in the ultimate be in virtual control. Every Zone and SubZone Executive is looked by the people in their respective areas as trustees for the exjjenditure of monies j'or servicemen at Home and abroad

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