Canterbury Patriotic Fund.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18405, 11 June 1925, Page 8

Canterbury Patriotic Fund.

It surely never entered the minds of those who in the latter part of the year 1914 established the Canterbury Patriotic Fund that tho war then opening would last so long or that so vast a sum would be contributed voluntarily to the Fund as actually was raised. Th-a expectations of the founders of tho Fund were, in view of later events, most modestly set at £25,000, for the belief then held, founded only on the experiences of the South African War, was that such a sum would prove adequate to provide requisite relief to thoso Canterbury soldiers suffering disablement in tho coming conflict. That

the war should last a full four years and over, that the struggle should reach an intensity never imagined, that the casualties should be so overwhelming in the light of former war experiences, and that there should be so vast a legacy of death,"disablement and distress never entered into tho calculations of that original patriotic band who gave life to the Fund. Neither did it enter into'their calculations at the timo that as tho dreadful need increased would the general response, and that a sum o O E nearly £190,000 would be provided voluntarily by the North Canterbury people as a patriotic endeavour to do what lay in their power to mitigate the misfortunes of those who suffered the bigger personal sacrifice. That largo original sum, augmented from timo to time by different sources.of. income, has sustained a steady depletion during tho following ten years as the purposes for which the Fund was established, were realised, until at tho present timo, according to the accounts |>ut beforo the annual meeting of the Fund yesterday, there remains an available capital of just on £43,000. Actual grants made to soldiers and dependents totalled £167,000, and loans to £34,400. Of the money advanced on loan to soldiers about one-third has so far been repaid, according to. a statement made at tho annual meeting yesterday, and it is therefore reasonable to hope that what is now outstanding will still to some extent be collectable and will give an addition to the present balance possessed by the Fund. In view of tho fac,t that as far as can be foreseen all claims based on actual war disability have been provided for there is not likely to be any objection raised to th.2 adoption of a more liberal policy on tho part of the executive committee in the granting of relief to those returned soldiers who by reason of illness, not directly attributable to war service such as would justify the granting of a pension, but presumably arising therefrom, aTe prevented in the meantime from following the course of their ordinary employment. Experience will show to what extent the Fund can respond to the requisitions of the new policy, but in the meantime the Committee will have the satisfaction of knowing that the new policy, formally adopted at the meeting yesterday, reflected a general impression that the money of the Fund should not overlap the life of the last returned soldier entitled to its benefits.