WAR FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 282, 25 August 1919, Page 6

WAR FUNDS

QUESTION OP INQUIRY. A further statement in regard to the controversy on war funds has been issued by the general secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association (Mr. D. Seymour). Mr. Seymour, in his statement, gives letters thiit have passed between the association and the Y.M.C.A. on the subject. "In a statement issued by the Y.M.C.A. on August 12," says Mr. Seymour, "appeared the following sentence: The Y.JLC.A.\courts the fullest inquiry into its war whorls.' The following correspondence then transpired:— ' Tho National Secretary, Y.M.C.A., < Baker's Buildings, Wellington. Dear Sir,—My executive has noted with pleasure you announcement in .the newspapers of August 12 that your association courts the fullest inquiry into its war work. / As such an inquiry could only be made by si commission with full authority lo examine all records, my executive begs to propose that a joint deputation of the Y.M.C.A. and this association should wait upon the Government at an early date to urge the necessity for such a commission. Thanking you in anticipation of an early and favourable reply.—Faithfully yours, (Signed) DOUGLAS SEYMOUR, General Secretary. Y.M.C.A. REPLY. D. Seymour, Esq., General Secretary, Returned Soldiers' Association, Wellington. Sir- , . Re Deputation to Minister of Internal Affairs. My National Committee considered your letter of August 11, and in reply I have to state that, as your deductions to our balance-sheet and our reply thereto have now been published in the Press, and the whole matter is before the public, and especially before our contributors, we cannot accept the suggestion as outlined by your executive.—Faithfully yours. '(Signed) A. VARNEY, National General Secretary. August 21, 1919. ' Mr. Seymour stated last evening that in view of this correspondence, theR.S.A. can only leave it at present to tho Y.M.C.A. to reconcile to the public Its protestations with its practice. The R.S.A. -was still' awaiting tho promised publication by the Y.M.C.A. of the auditor's report, which should certainly have been published with the balancesheet, and the absence of which had not been satisfactorily explained. The apparent policy of the Y'.M.C.A. was to sit tight, and the R.S.A. was now obliged lo force the position. A full statement traversing the reply of the Y.M.C.A. would follow shortly the publication -of the missing report for which the R.S.A. had waited nearly a week.