WAR FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 251, 17 July 1919, Page 4

WAR FUNDS

DEMAND FOR COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. The New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association 'has issued the following important policy statement on the subject of war funds. '• Some months ago the executive of tho association began to investigate the prosent sil nation in reference to war funds and their ultimate disposal. From tho information available it appeared that a. sum something in the region of .£l,iflfl,oM) remained unexpended from funds collected for war purposes. This large amount was held by .". considerable number of bodies brought into existence in many cases by the war. It has been raised for an immense variety of purposes having some war object in common, and in many cases was still being expended on work more or less directly arising out of the war. In the view of the executive there was a strong probability that, the bodies who had • originally raised these funds mie-ht in some cases he tempted to devote tiiem to pivrposes which might not always be the most useful. Consequently, it was considered necessary firstly that the closest supervision should be exercised bv the War Funds Department over post-war expenditure, and, secondly, that a uniform policy for the final disposal of the funds should be laid down. Tholatter was all the more necessary in view of the large smii in ouestion and the need for economical national administration in the immediate future. The association had collected and examined a number of balance-sheets from ladies administering war funds. In the case of one prono of the balance-sheets submitted it'fed directed the attention ef the Minister of Wur Fui-'s to certain items and also-to not-nblv defective statements which it could not regard without concern and upon which it desired the Minister's comment. The executive have been unajile up to the present to get the mictions raised by them elucidated, and ■have unanimously decided to demand the immediate ippointmenf of a Royal Commission to investigate the w»'nl» nnes™in of War Funds, and has notified the Mini«t"\r accordingly. The executive lvnsdocided to recommend that the commission, to consist of five members, be constituted as follows:— ~ _ 1 The chairman to be a Stipendiary Magistrate. As much of the work of tno committee would demn'-d a Wledgo of accounting, it wn= considered that Air. J. S Burton. R.M., Gisbornc would he eminently suitVyle for (he witfnn. ?• One representative of the N.Z.R.S.A as reprcs"n+in" the soldiers, for whom, and their dependants the funds were primarily raised. 3. One rep-eseutativo of tho WaT Funds Council. 4. On» renrc'eiitn; five each from the Patriotic Societies •Vdvison- Board and from the Red Cross "ns the two of +he largest holocrs of war funds and as bodies whose war work is likely to continue for some. tune. _ uifi order of reference of the commission .should be tho brondes* possible, and its recommendations should immediately lie laid before the Department. The inves-ti-mfion sh"iild inr.lnde:-l. The raisin? of" public funds for war nurnoscf and their administration, with particular referenee to the purposes for which they had been raised and economy in their administration. 2. The bes uses to which remninine funds slionld be devoted, with particular reference to the tion of assets and to the most efficient menus of administration for any war work which m-V still V necessary. 3. The framing of recoimnnuda'ions in reference to providing in the case of a future war for the needs which in this case war funds have been, raised to meet.