THE CARNIVAL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2471, 26 May 1915, Page 10

THE CARNIVAL

SAFETY OF THE FUNDS

PRECAUTIONS TAKEN

A meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Patriotic Socioty was held last night- Mr. H. G. Hill presided, and there was au attendance of eighteen members. Discussion first of all in committee concerned the administration' of the Carnival Fund, which it was generally agreed should be added to a National Fund, should such be successfully established. The following ro3olution was carried: "That the president, Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, be appointed to act in conjunction with His Worship the Mayor as trustee of tho National Patriotic Fund, Wellington Carnival tection; all moneys received to bo paid to tho trustees, the Town Clerk to act as treasurer of tho fund." Mr. R. A. Wright said thero was a suspicion abroad that some of tho money collected was likely to he misappropriated by unauthorised 1 collectors. It was extremely difficult for people accosted by collectors to ask them whether thoy were accredited or uot. He bad heard of moneys collectcd for the Belgian Fund being Tctaincd by the persons collocting. and the committee should take precaution against anything of the sort occurring in connection with the Carnival Fund. The cliairman ?aid that 110 question had exercised tho executive so much as that of providing agaiust any fraud being perpetrated in connection with the fund. The executive had decided that no person should canvass unless they liad authority from tho society. Then the society Lad instructed the candidates' committees to see that all canvassers should have authority from their committee:). Tho executive had decided that all collection-boxes used must bear the seal or badge of the society on fivo sides of every box. But in spite of all precautions there were people out collecting with jam-tins 011 Saturday. It seemed almost impossible to stop this sort of thing. He had been told by one gentleman that be had never known any public body to take such precautions to protect the but in spite of all the precautions this gentleman had had a jam-tin pushed under his nose on Saturday by a child. The problem was a difficult one to deal witb, and he was at a loss to know what more the committee should do. Mr. Wright said that lie had contrlr buted to two or three boxes on Saturday, and he had not noticed that they bore the badge of the society. Mr. F. Crombie moved that the society should direct that no children should be allowed to collect. , Mr. S. Kirkcaldie said that if the public gave donations to unaccredited collectors they could blame nobody but themselves.

Mr. Wright suggested that every collector should bo compelled to wear a bad;*c._ ' Objections were raised to this proposal, however. It was pointed out that, on behalf of some candidates for the Queen election, there were hundreds of people working, and also that hundreds. of boys, all absolutely honest, were working. It would be bad policy to prohibit children from working, and impossible to give badges to all collectors. Finally, Mr. Crombie withdrew his motion, and the executive 'were authorised to tako such action as they might deem necessary. THE BANDS. Mr. H. Liardet, on behalf of the Band Committee, reported that Mr. D. E. Braniff, 160 Tory Street, had presented a silver-moui.tod conductor's baton for the band gaining the most points in music (military points not to count), the band winning "Messrs Charles Begg and Co.'s trophy not to be eligible to particioate. It was further reported that the following list of officers had been appointed:—Musical judge, Mr. A. Wado (Wanganui): military judges, Lieut. Davis and Sergt.Major Withers; supervisor, Lieutenant Herd; timekeeper, Mr. T. H. Coltman: judge of instruments, Mr. Payne, of Begg and Co. The following bands had entered: —Wellington Central Mission, Wellington Tramways, Wellington Fifth Regiment, Wellington Waterside Workers', Petone Municipal, and Trentliam Reinforcements. —The report was adopted.