The Dominion MONDAY, JULY 5, 1915. A NATIONAL FUND

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2505, 5 July 1915, Page 4

The Dominion MONDAY, JULY 5, 1915. A NATIONAL FUND

The arguments in favour of placing the funds for tho relief of wounded soldiers and their dependents upon a national basis are so strong that it would be a serious mistake to fall back upon any secondbest arrangement until it has been proved that tho difficulties in tho way. of the establishment of a Dominion . scheme are _ absolutely insuperable. It certainly has not yet been shown that a National Fund is an unattainable ideal. No decision has yet been reached. The whole question is to be considered at a- representative Conference which is to take place on July 28. Until this Conference has been held it would bo unwise for the Wellington district to commit itself fully and finally to the system of provincial control which was sußmittcd to the Conference over which the Mayor of Wellington presided on Friday last. It is highly desirable that the money which the people of New Zealand have given with suoh remarkable generosity should be administered in the fairest And most efficient manner. In order to secure uniformity of treatment for all who ' may have claims on the funds, and to provido against the possibility of overlapping and neglect, some form of central control is an absolute necessity. Our participation in the war is a national affair. Our soldiers go t ; o the front as the soldiers of New Zealand, and ought, to be treated as such from beginning to end. It would bo a great pity if narrow parochial considerations were permitted to interfere with the administration of the relief funds. Some districts may contribute more than others, while their casualty lists may be smaller. No ono can foresee what tho fortune of war may have in store for us, or how bur losses may be distributed: Unless all the contributions are pooled and administered on some uniform and comprehensive plan, inequitable treatment in some cases is inevitable, and this is bound to give rise to a widespread sense of injustice. Tho funds of some districts may be more than sufficient to meet all the calls made upon them, while others may not be able to make adequate provision for those whoso claims warrant assistance.

' The position taken up by the Wairarapa delegates at Friday's Conference was a very_ sound one. Mr. H. Morrison, Chairman of the Wairarapa Patriotic Fund, spoke in favour of a really National Fund, and pointed out that it would be father previous to start a provincial scheme when tho whole question was to be considered at a Conference to be held at the end of tho present month. This contention is so ob-, viously reasonable that it would have been a; matter for surprise if the meeting had adopted any hard-and-fast proposal at the present stage. Mn. Skerrett stated the case for a, National Fund with admirable clearness and convincing force.;

Tlio reasons for the existence of a national organisation, he said, wcro the necessity for uniformity o£ administration, and uniformity in the rato or scale of relief. Sonio districts might confine themselves to those who went from their own distiicts, while others might administer it as from tho domicile of the soldier at the time of enlistment. That would moan difficulties. Somo districts, again, might pay. one ralte, ami some another. But tlio great reason for « National Fund was tho inequality of contributions from different districts. Tho richer distriots would, of course, subscribe more than the poorer districts. Then again there wore more recruits from somo districts. They would agree that equitable distribution should bo made, so that no soldier or his dependents would ho without relief.

The only thoroughly effective way of escaping from the difficulties and inequalities mentioned by Mr. Skerrett is by pooling all the funds and placing their administration in tho hands of a central body on which the contributing districts would be fairly represented. There could also be local Advisory Committees. If provincial jealousies should unfortunately make the adoption of this course impossible, some such .scheme as that suggested by Mu. Skehhett and Sir John Findi.ay, would probably be the most satisfactory alternative; but every effort should be 'made to induce the Patriotic Societies throughout ( New Zealand to agree to llie principle uf national Such an .overwhelmingly

strong case can be made out in-favour of a Dominion scheme that it is difficult to believe that the coming Conference will bo content with any narrower system of management. llit. Skerrett and Sib John Findlay deserve the thanks of the communityfor t-hetime and thought which they have given to the matter under discussion. Their work has certainly not been in vain. The suggestions they have made are most helpful. The whole Dominion would be still further indebted to them if they coulcl see their way to prepare a document setting out the reasons in favour of a National Fund. Such a, statement might do a great deal of good if it were sent to the Patriotic Societies in all parts of New Zealand before the meeting of the Conference which is to decide the question.