WAR RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3135, 13 July 1917, Page 3

WAR RELIEF

MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION;

Messrs. L. 0. H. Tripp (chairman), i>. W. Manton, John Hutchesou C M Luke, A. It. Atkinson, J. Lewis, C. A. iiwan, i. Al'lntosh, and A. Macintosh were present at a meeting of tho executive of the War Relief Association held yesterday afternoon. In reference to the raising of further iunds, the chuirman said that the Finance Committee had held one meeting with the Wellington Patriotic Society, and will have another meeting en Monday next at 5 p.m., aftcj- which ihey hoped to be able to present a report 10 the executive.

The name of lieut.-Colonel J. Hughes was added to the Relief Committee.

An invitation was received from the Keturned Soldiers' Club for the members of 'the executive to visit the club premises. The chairman thought that they should accept the invitation. As to whether they would bo able to assist the. club financially was another matter altogether. It was a matter that concerned the constitution of the .issociation.

The Wellington branch of flie New Zealand Society for the Health of AVonien and Children wrote for a small monthly grant for procuring material for 'miking up into clothing. It was decided to make a grant of £b a month. Whilst he favoured the grant, Mr. John Hutcheson protested that the.association was really doing- the work that 'the Government should do. If people were left badly off, the bread-winners had gone to the war, it was most certainly the business of tlio Government to attend to; their wants. It.was deplorable that the association should be charged with being a charitable institution, ;.s had beeu done. It was a great- wrong, and it would be found so when the Second Division was called up. The Rev. J' , .' \V. Whibley, lion., secretary of the Church Army for New Zealand, wrote claiming assistance, on the ground that the Salvation Army and Y.M.C.A. were receiving a. monthly grant of ,£IOO from the association, anil that the Church Army was doing the same kind of work.

It was pointed out by Mr. C. M. Luke that whilst his association was dealing with soldiers and 'sailors generally, the Salvation Army, and Y.M.C.A. dealt with the New Zealand men direct. The consideration of the application was held over.

The Gieborue Citizens' Defence Committee submitted the following resolution for endorsement:—"That in.view of the inability of the public generally to continue their voluntary subscriptions, owing to the heavy weight of special war taxation, it is desirable that die Government relieve the various patriotic societies by imposing the necessary extra taxation for further relief of returned soldiers on such a general basis as shall insure that the weight may fall in just and fair proportion on all those who should contribute." The letter was received.

The Relief Committee of the xssociation reported that the total number of cases dealt with by the Eolief Committee during the half-year ended June 30, 1917, wns 1515.

Tho finance statement presented showed that the income for the month of June was ,E435 Is. 2d., and the expenditure was ,£BS2 17s. 6d. The association's funds were represented by: Investments, Ji7G,500; current accounts \balances 'of

imprest and war fund accounts), .£215175. !S.; and petty cash in hand, ,£2O; total, ,£70,735 17s. sd.