SOLDIERS' BURSARIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 151, 21 March 1919, Page 5

SOLDIERS' BURSARIES

IMPORTANT EXTENSION OF SCHEME

WAR FUNDS COUNCIL TAKES ACTION Important decisions in connection with tho provision of bursaries for returned soldiers were reached at a meeting ot tho National War Funds Council yesterday. The Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. ltussell) presided, and the other members present were Mr. 3. P Luko- M.P. (Mayor of Wellington), Mr. H. Holland (Mayor of Christchurch),_Mr. W. E. Bothuue, and Mr A. Morrison. Mr. D. Seymour, general secretary of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, was present by invitation. Tho Minister said that the council, which had been formed in 1910 to secure the efficient control and administration of war funds, had now in hand a sum of .£35,000, of which .£IO,OOO was earmarked 'for spccial purposes. This left ,£25,000 available for disbursement. _Of tho items earmarked tliero was available for Westland a sum of Ml'", and for Westport ,£2165. A sum of ,£256 was from the Canterbury Wounded Fund, from tho Public Servants War Fund, and ,£2OOO from the Widows and Orphans ' Fund. "This money,' said the Minister. "is largely tho result of donations which have been made by voluntary con.tributors. The council, has itself no power to create funds, but merely to accept funds transferred by private trustees. During tho last session of Parliament, by clause 11 of tho War l'unds Amendment Act, power was taken jtor email funds to be compulsorily transferred to the . council. This power is brought into force only if any war tuna has been or is about to be improperly or incompetently administered, or has been unlawfully established or augmented, and the amount in hand amounts to less ■ than ,£3OO. In that case the Minister ' may direct-the trustees to transfer the moiiey to the council. This power, however has not hitherto, been exercised. Some patriotic societies have made application for permission to use moneys m handiin memorial halls and other similar directions. In every rase these applications have been refused, the-Government bein« of -opinion that moneys raised for the benefit of the soldiers should be si ent for their benefit or for that of their dependants. In every case where a patriotic society has desired to extend its objects in order to utilise its funds for the benefit of soldiers and their dependants outside the purposes originally determined, permission has been, and will be, given. But I think the council agree that war funds raised under the Act for the relief, assistance, or support ' of members of the. forces or of their dependants, should bo sacredly held lor those purpose?, and should not be em--1 ployed in the erection of concert halls and for similar purposes. The men are i now returning in large numbers, and ' probablv by the end of the year the whole of them will be back in New Zealand, with the exception of a small remnant of officials who may be required to remain in Great Britain. The question therefore arises how can the funds at the disposal of the council be spent in order to secure a maximum of benefit to these brave men who have made 6uch sacrifices for the Empire of which the Dominion is a'part?'"' "Here it must be remembered that-very ! large funds are in the hands of the pat- | riotic sooieties, probably amounting in I the aggregate to nearly one million and a half of money. The trustees, of these societies have their own organisations for ' the purpose of supplementing the pension provided by law. There are also the al- ' lowances made by law. Further, there ' is an organisation connected with the Deji fence Department for the purpose of prodividing for medical treatment of the men, ;'and the Defence Department has also established an educational and vocational \! teaming section for soldiers prior to i their discharge. In addition to all these ithe Repatriation Board, consisting of four {Ministers of the Crown, has been estab--1 ished to v administer the policy of the with regard to repatriation, Irhilst numerous repatriation committees Stave been established _ throughout the Irominion as tho executive of that board, li'or'can it be'forgotten'.thathuge sums ■ ol" money have been set aside by the Government for the purchase of landed cd tafces, upon which ' the soldiers • aile hd ing placcd under special laws, _ which I ' aii? exceedingly liberal, and provide op- = .psytunities to men to make good as far--5 'meirs and settlers. The recordl which I s ! ltai'e stated shows I think that fiie people II ;of i New Zealand and the National _GovR eriiment are not unmindful of their re■.apdasMity to thoso who have made such '• -enormous sacrifices as have been made ? by lour soldiers during the war. .In considilring the work and finances of this 6 cousicil, it has appeared to me that there t is iji better direction in which its fund's £ can tbe used than .in endeavouring to ° nssisl': in their educational caicers those f belos ging to our forccs who are desirous 5 . by dlucation of improving their stnnd"o ins, 4nd providing for their future. After :e all, H: is education which in this age is :o the Jiasis upon which our young men is muffki climb to higher things. After conr- siderß lg the matter I Submitted proposjo als toi members of the board by telegraph e. that ifty -bursnri-es should be offered to

matriculated students of the New Zealand University, such bursaries* to bs tenabli ■ atany oneof the affiliated colleges, and td be available for degrees in any of tlnl following subjeots:—Arts and science!;, law, medicine, dentistry, music, engines ring, commerce, and agriculture, and piil'ilic health." The rthembprs of the council, added the

Minisfrjr. had given him unanimous support in"/- tho matter, and ho felt'justified now in' 1 asking the council to increase to 100 'i|he number of bursaries immediately • Available. Assuming flint each bursar^'Aost tho council .£SO a year, the rost of If>'d bursaries for five years would be but as a matter of fact the period' oi five years would not be required pi all cases. He mentioned that he had' tTeceived from the Wellington War Fuil-ls Council a letter expressing willingnfisn to receive suggestions for the assistant I of tho soldiers and dependants, and to g'Vve such suggestions as the Minister fliieht make 'sympathetic consideration, t He felt, sure that tho council would She justified in granting the 100 bursnriH-i at once, nnd ho anticipated that fiirfchfrr sums of money would be received to'- make available simile burfiiTies for irien who had still to return to New Zealarid. Provision would have to be made to \ enable men who hail not yet matriculated to obtain higliPr education. "I am ina'ormed." said Mr. Russell, "that in s Grrl3at Britain tho great historic for tho benefit of tho soldiers beyonul the seas, aro setting aside the matricifl.ation test and' granting degrees in special subjects to men who are able to takij: tho course, even though in earlier life 'jchey may not have matriculated. This'; is a phaso of the repatriation problem) which I propose to take up with the Minister of Education, anil through hinvwith the University Senate. I feel sure :S hat New Zealand will not desire to lag .{behind tho Mother Country in educational benefits to her returned soldiers. The* second step, therefore, of this council, y' tho necessary moneys are available, will, bo to endeavour to estab-

lish a scheme \l>y which soldiers who have from various .causes not matriculated may be able t.'.i improve their educational status, indepen dent altogether of matriculation, or, :'&a the alternative, to go to matriculation .mo' become eligiblo for i future bursaries on the samo lines as • those which aiiii now being offered. Tho ■ wider wo call .open the door for the , benefit of our rhen the better it will be." Turning to the details of the scheme, 1 Mr. Russell safil that in the allocation ! of the bui'saricH, the council, he felt, should take inloruionsideration the character, health, educational career, suitabil--1 ity for tho co'Urso proposed, financial position, and piuspects of completing Hie course of tho ai/jilieants. Tho men should lw required to .satisfy the council on these points. Itl was not desirable that young men with ■ wealthy parents should be given tho bujrsarios, thus possibly depriving the poorer men of the chance to get higher education. Nor was it o'esirable that men shimld enter upon courses - they were not lively to be ablo to com- - plete. The council aft<|r consideration endors- - ed the proposal mflide by the Minister to ? inorease the nnmblsr of Bursaries to 100, and AariAeA that \ Jirralicanfas should be

required to furnish satisfactory information on the linos sugg«itefl£- by tho Minister.

The officers of tlio council, with tho assistance of Mr. Seymour, wero directed to make a preliminary examination ol' tho 120 applications already received and to report to a. committee of the board, consisting of tlio Mayors of Wellington and Chi'istcliurch, Mr. Bcthuno and Mr. Morrison. Tho board will meet again this afternoon to receive tho report of the committee.

In tho course of discussion the chairman said that it would bo open to any patriotic society either to supplement tho bursaries offered through the council or to establish bursaries of its own. If tho objects of the society did not permit of the expenditure of money in this way he would be prepared to approvo of the enlargement of the objects. A question was raised as to whether or' not the bursaries would be retrospective, for the benefit of men who had returned some time ago and had already commenced university courses. The council resolved that such an arrangement would not ho practicable, but that special cases would be considered on their merits, with a view- to making grants from the ordinary funds of the council if desirable.

The council discussed also tho position of men vrho had not returned in time to apoly for the bursaries now offered, but who would arrive in the near future. It was resolved that ihe question of finance should be carefully considered and that further bursaries should be offered soon as the financial position of the council was assured. Tho question of assisting soldiers to matriculate would be brought up as soon as money was available for this extension of the scheme.

The Minister, said that he did not propose to invite patriotic societies bv circular fo contribute to the scheme. He would prefer that, after seeing the work the council was doing, they should themselves offer whatever assistance they thought desirable.