WAR BURSARIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 139, 7 March 1919, Page 5

WAR BURSARIES

FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS

USE FOR PATRIOTIC FUNDS

STATEMENT BY HON. G. W. RUSSELL

An important statement was made yesterday by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Hussell) regarding a scheme for the establishment by the War Funds Council of some fifty bursaries for returned soldiers desiring to attend the University to qualify for a profession. , "Bv the War Funds Act of 1915," said th' . Minister, "the National War Funds Counoil was established, and to this body, considerable sums of money were handed j bv the donors, among them a donation nf £10.000 from the Bank of New Zealand and a sum of approximately £3000 { subscribed by members of the Public I Service. These sums and the gifts of other donors have created n fund ot approximately £32,000. In due course the council, in accordance with clause I of tho Act, took over the war funds in existence at Westport and llokitika. and the council has since been responsible entirelv for the funds required for those district", the expenditure being controlled bv local advisory committees, as provided for in the W.ar Funds Act. "The war having come to an ond, and th» country having started its policy of repatriation, the council is naturally desirous of using the funds to the best advantage for the benefit of the returned men. Tho general work of repatriation, dealing with the settlement of men on the land and the setting of them up in businesses, etc., is in the hands of the Repatriation Board. In some cases prior to the establishment of that board the funds of the council have been employed ia deserving cases, but a definite policy hi'vine become necessary, I have submitted to tho members of-the council a proposal that that body should specialise in thj direction of helping in the education of returned men, iri order to enable them to rise to higher positions in life than might otherwise have been open to them. -Sample cases may bo given of the kind of assistance that the board has already given to such. men. In the boiith Canterburv district a returned soldier who wears the Military Cross, who had been before enlistment a school teacher, made application for assistance to enable him to take a medicai degree. He was awarded ft bursary by the council of £ofl per vear for four years, which, supplemented bv the patriotic society of the district to tin amount of £20 per year, will, with th 3 money he has saved while- on service, enable him to go through the course for four years. If necessary the Public Health Department will be prepared o advance the. man £100 for tile fift;i year of his course. • Another case is that of a matriculated student who wishes to take a dental degree Or diploma, In his case A war bursary Of £50 a year for four years has been provided, and the Otflgo Patriotic Society wil! I believe, grant aim a total sum of .£250 to enable him to complete the course. A third case is that of a returned soldie; belonging to thfe Auckland die trict, who, having attended the Otago Dental School in 1915, volunteered for ser- '■ vic-.i before having pawed any ot the examinations. Hβ has been awarded a bursarv of £50 a year for either three or four years as may be necessary, and the Auckland Wμ- Relief Association has been communicated with, urging that the grant made by the council shall be supplemented by that society to enable the m.ri to win through. . "4s I consider the funds in the hands of the , counoil can be put to_ no better us>3 than in providing bursaries for returned soldiers, 1 have communicated with all'the members asking their approval to the immediate establishment of 50 huxsaries by the council, of £50 a.year- each, to be hold at any college of the University of New Zealand, m any of the following courses of study:arts and science, law, medicine, dentistry, • music, enginwring, commerce, agriculture, and public health. ■ These bursaries, will be each for fifty- pounds a year for four or five years, as may be necessary to complete the courses, and will be subject to an annual report in every case ou the conduct and work ot the holder being satisfactory. The replies received from members of the council exDi'ess entire approval of the scheme, and throughout New Zealand to-morrow morning advertisements will appear asking for application for the bursaries. "The' matter has had to be hurried beCausa the university colleges resume in the course of a few days. -It is of course unnecessary to. say that students cannot take up a graduate course on the bursaries provided by the War l'unds Council, but.it is hoped that they will be subsidised substantially by the pat-1 rlotic societies of New Zealand, which are holding practically a million and a, half of money, raised for the benefit of the soldiers. If the societies will assist the scheme, the .soldiers will be. enabled to graduate. I need hardly add that the military papers of the applicant in every case will be closely scrutinised to see that his military career justifies his being selected -ta iv bursar". , "Possibly the War F.unds Council will consider the desirability of extending, the scheme to apply to non-matriculated students, so that they may either matriculate- or take up some other course of study for the purpose of improving their standing. ■ "In launching this scheme I appeal to the patriotic societies of New Zealand to assist the council in this matter, and I sincerely hope that many patriotic societies which are now holding funds for which they have no use' now that the war is over will hand their surplus moneys over to the NationaPWar Funds Council, in order that this scheme may bo extended and elaborated. During the last few weeks a number of applications have been received from patriotic societies holding war funds asking to be permitted to utilise their funds in the establishment of war memorials. I may say at once that it is not intended to grant these requests. The moneys raised by these societies were raised for the benefit of soldiers and I hold the opinion, very strongly indeed, that if the necessity for assisting soldiers in the trenches and overseas has disappeared, these moneys should be sacredly devoted to the benefit of returned men and their dependants. If any scheme can )» devised for assisting returned men than that of providing those who wish it with a higher education, thus openiug oat avenues for their future which do not lie open to them ■at present, I shall be prepared to give careful consideration to the proposal. Tn the meantime I trust tliiit not only the ordinary patriotic soeitie?. but tiie Red Cross organisations, will be prepared to consider the scheme I have set out. T may remind.them that ample power exists under the law for the transfer of their funds to the National War Funds Council for this purpose.".