CANTERBURY PATRIOTIC FUND.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15873, 12 April 1917, Page 3

CANTERBURY PATRIOTIC FUND.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE

The Canterbury Patriotic I und executive met yesterday afternoon, the Mayor, Mr Holland, presiding. Ihe Minister of Defence wrote stating that every endeavour was being made to secure uniformity in the medical examination of recruits by the medical boards and it, was hoped that in the future the number of those discharged from the camps would be small. —1 he letter was received. The chairman reported on behalf of the special sub-committee appointed in connexion with the secretarial work, that it had gone very carefuly into the subject, and compared the cost of administration of the local fund with the cost in the other centres, and was <>1 the opinion that the time was not iar distant when it would be necesary to have separate offices for the administration of the Canterbury Patriotic I-und. In the meantime the committee recommended that the secretary he allowed an additional sum of £17per annum from October 1910. — Tlie report was adopted. Tiic proposal that £10,000 be set aside for a pensions scheme was further deferred (owing to the small attendance) till tho ordinary meeting to Ik* held after the annual'mcetinc"" 011 May 4th. liic Applications Committee recommended that in view of the large number ol visits now required of the inspector (Miss Cardale), Mr Boyle's application for a grant towards the cost motor " r ' :l r he met by a grant of ~00 towards tho purchase price and £52 per annum for maintenance. It was further recommended, in reference to "tourist" gratuitants, that grants be suspended when these leave Christchurch temporarily, but continued and paid through other societies when a permanent change to another district is made.—The report was adopted. | A CONVALESCENT HOME. ■I ne sub-committee specially appointed reported 011 the subject ol" convalescent homes for returned soldiers that it had been unanimously decided that, in view of the provision made by the Government at J laumer and otlicr places, it v.as not deemed advisable for the I und to attempt to conduct such an institution, owing to the doubt as to I whether the soldiers would make use of j it if established. The Mayor reported that, in reference to the securing of the Giemnark Estate, he had seen a. letter from Mr Moore in England, in which Mr Moore laid (.own very stringent regulations, such as that the committee should undertake that 110 soldier should carve Ins initials on any of the trees. It I } v as practically a "yes and no"' reply— 10 said they could have the place, but under siteh conditions that thev practiaiJy could not take it. Ho,had told the agent that he did not think the committee would be inclined to entertain tiie offer under the conditions laid clown. Personally, ho did not think that t'.uch an institution was required, and even if they acquired such a place 1 he did not think the soldiers would taifo advantage of it. He had approached the. Returned Soldiers' Association ana the C.D.C. on the matter. Ho had leceivod no reply from tho Returned Soldiers' Association, and C.D.C men had said that they did not think there was a demand for such a home. Mr Hobbs said that the committee had not been able to discover anv real need lor such a home as .a convalescent boitlo. Various residents throughout Canterbury had offered to take men for this purpose,'but only'oiie in an had accepted the offers. For ihese reasons the, committee did not think it-neces-sary to secure such ii home, and ho moved the adoption of the report. Mr Horre]] seconded the motion, and referred to soldiers remaining in hospital after they were fit for a convalescent home, and so occupying beds urgently needed by others. " Mr Sorensen said that this matter had been much improved. The report ivas adopted. SOLDIERS ON THE LAND. Mr E. Noidon moved':—"That the Finance Committee be requested to consider the question of the institution of a separate iuud for the purposo of placing soldiers on tho Juud, uflti report to a illture mooting." He said that various- applications had been received lor this purpose, and the Agriculture Committee had usually voted £200. In Australia they had'formed for* tin's purpose a Repatriation Fund, which had attained u large sum. The fund itself cotild not continue to vote £20U to each soldier. It only required one hundred soldiers to consume but if a special fund were formed of some £00,000 or £100,000, then much more could be done. Mr J-I. ?}. iSorensen said u, at t ] u , fmul ~"'1 r: " SOd V s whether theiP fund n ns large enough. Thev had considered some time ago that it was not «ind proposals had Wm iuad<* i'or a campaign to enlarge it jater o n. Mr Hobbs said that, lie thoiiKht some 0 her committee would be better than the I'inance Committee. Mr Tosswill suggested that the needs 01 other business as well as the land should considered. Mr Nordon agreed to alter the Finance mittee--;^-.^ 0 I 01 1?™* «>ub-com-Unchiivin* V) S1 S ji tf°hhs, Malcolm, -isnchan.in, Prudhoe, and the inm-or and to widen tho scope of the enquiry to other subjects than land ' ' •liie motion was adopted.