WAR RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2745, 14 April 1916, Page 3

WAR RELIEF

MEETING OF/THE ASSOCIATION

SEVERAL REQUESTS GRANTED

Messrs. W. Ferguson (chairman), L. 0. H. Tripp,- John BEutcheson, James M'lntosh, G. Shirtcliffe, E. J. Culley, A. Macintosh, C. M. Luke, D. Jl'Laren, J. Lewis, L. 31. A. lleardcn, S. Kirkcaldie, and A. R. Atkinson were present at the meeting of the War Relief Association of AYellington,' held yester" day afternoon. Tho Finance Committee reported that the balance at the bank of the imprest account amounted to £118 13s. 9d. Hie war fund account for the quarter ended March 31 stood at £2895 18s. 7d. The money on deposit amounted to £68,000. It was decided that the trustees transfer another £500 to tho imprest account. Report of Relief Committee. The Relief Committee reported that they had dealt with 85 applications at the meeting of March '29., and with 35 applications on April 10. Three applicants approached the association for a loan of the first half-year's rental required to be deposited by successful applicants at the land ballots. It was decided to ask the Minister of Lands to rule that the discharged soldiers need not.make a deposit to cover the first half-year's rental. At the meeting of April 10,. it was proposed that a Ladies' Committee bo 'appointed'with a view of purchasing orders for. necessities. • The committee had in certain cases given orders for necessities, but, unfortunately, the applicants had .shown great extravagance in their pxirchases and some supervision is required. Children's , Allowance.—Preparations For the payment of children's allowance have ;also been completed by the Defence Department, and full particulars have been issued by Q.M.G.4, as per circular letter of April. 3, 1916. The points decided will certainly be very i welcome' to wives and guardians, with the exception of Clause 2, which reads: "The rate is 6d. per day for each child under 18 years of age; with a maximum of 25." The committee has already received five applications from mothers with families of five children, and. ijj each case an allowance of 6d. per child would be very acceptable. For the- quarter ended March 31, [916, 242 applications were dealt with, and relief payments made as follow:— Temporary grants, £458 17s. 3d. ;'■ weekly payments, i'ol os. Bd.; total, £509 17s. lid.. N. • In addition, special grants amounting to £2582 15s. had been handed to 'Other bodies:—St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas,' Nathan's Buildings Depot, £250; AVellington Nursing Division, ..two monthly instalments, £20: Langham Hostel, £300; New Zealand War Contingent Association, £1012 155.; Y.M.C.A. National ; War Fund, £1000; total, £2582 15s. Capitation for Children. ' A sub-committee met the representa-. lives of the Salvation Army—Brigadier firay and Colonel Rowley—on Tuesday, A.pril 11. It was agreed: (a) Island Bay Home: That at the present time no contribution towards capital expenditure be made in connection with tho building scheme, but that a capitation of ss. per child per week, in approved cases, be recommended, (b) Rotorua Institute: That a cash contribution of CSO bo given, and a monthly cdntribu-. tion of £10 during tho pleasure of the association. In connection with the, capitation proposal it was explained that the com--mitteo thought that,tho need for the building was largely anticipatory. At present there were few children of deceased soldiers requiring n home. Tho report was adopted. A Cry From Egypt. It was reported that several membeia of the executive met ChaplainCaptain M'Donald on March 31 at short notice and received from him a statemeat as to-the work done, by him in Egypt. He desired that the total in. come, of £50 a month should be assured ta him and his colleague, to be sent through, the Minister of Defence to the Base Commandant, to be handed over, as required, to tho cha'plains who are looking after the sick.aud wounded and convalescent. • '

: In connection with this request the chairman said he did not know how for, if at all, this £50 would overlap the £3000, to which they Svere to contribute £175 .per month. • Mr. L.' 0. H. Tripp said that ho! thought they might make the grant forthis month anyhow, until they know whether this 'money did overlap any other source of supply. Mr. Shirtcliffe asked if there were not 40_ or 50 chaplain's in Egypt. Mr. Luko said thore wero three or four thai he knew of. Should not the money ha given to the' general chaplains' fund. The chairman said that was the case. The money would bo sent to the Base Commandant, and paid by him into the Chaplains' Fund.

Finally, it was agreed to pay the £50 For April, and to reconsider the matter later.

District Bodies Administering Funds,

A list ,of thoeo bodio» within the Wellington district which wero administering funds at the present time was presented to the meeting. They are as follow :-*-Apiti Patriotic Society, Bulls, Sandon, Carnarvon and Lower Raugitikci AVar Relief Fund, Feilding Citizens and Farmers' Union Relief-Fund, Foxton Patriotic Committee, Hunterville War. Relief Fund, Rangitikoi Patriotic So< ciety (Marton), Poor of Great Britain and Allies' Fund (Masterton), Mayor's Local Wb Relief Fund (Masterton), Ohakune Carnival Fund, Otaki Patriotic Society, Pahiatua War Relief Association, Manawatu Patriotic Society, (Palmerston North), Raetihi and district Patriotic Fund, Raetihi Sick and Wounded Fund, Taihape Patriotic Committee, Wanganui Patriotic Committee, Mayor of Wellington's Patriotic Fund, Mayor of Wellington! s War Distress Fund, Mayor of Wellington's War Relief Fund (N.Z.), Wellington War Re. lief Association. Work at Rotorua. As the result of a visit paid to- Rotorua by Mr. M'Laren, that gentleman reported at length on the work being carried out by the three soldiers' institutions in existence there —the Government Convalescent Home at Pukeroa, the Salvation Army Rooms, and the Invalid Soldiers' Benefit Committee (of -which Mr. Hill is the executive officer). As the result of Mr. M'Laren's investigations and report, the association decided to vote a cash payment of £50, and a monthly donation of £10 per month to the Salvation Army's Rooms, and a sum of £50 to the Invalid Soldiers' Benefit Committee fto be expended on easy chairs, games, pictures, books,'etc.).