STILL GROWING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 309, 25 September 1919, Page 3

STILL GROWING

DEMANDS FOR WAR RELIEF

A REPORT OF THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION

The Applications Committeo of the Wellington War Relief Association yesterday reported to the executive as follows:—

"Since last meeting, held on August 29, 1919, your Applications Committeo met on six occasions, and dealt with 350 cases. Tho total number of applications received during the period August 29Septembor 23, inclusive, was -Ift'i, comprising 205 new applications and 258 renowals and reconsiderations. The unusually largo number undisposed of is accounted for by the closing of the officii oil Dominion Day. During the 13 weeks Juno' 19-September 18, your committee considered 14-31 eases, tho total received being 15-14, equalling 119 per week, aggregating G176 claims per annum. The average number presented to each biweekly committeo meeting being, in June 49,'; July 50, September SS. At date the ratio of monthly increase shows every indication of a rapid accentuation. ''Notwithstanding the phenomenal receipts during July and August, there was a net excess of expenditure paid out of capital account of ,£2717 45., being equivalent to an annual disbursement of at least ,£20,000 chargeable asainst capital account; and, at that rate of expenditure plus tho automatic reduction thereby effected in tho earning power of the diminishing investments, the financial resources of the association would becomo completely exhausted two and a half years hence. • It would appear, therefore, that your committee was correct not only in foreseeing the need for careful discrimination in respect to the administration of your funds during the actual currency of the war, but also in holding that the acme of its activities would bo reached during and after the process of demobilisation and rehabilitation of our soldiers.

"Included in the claims referred to I are applications submitted by men who ■ served with the Imperial N'avv an<J tho I Imperial Army, by French and Italian reservists, and ex-members of the CnnaI dian and Australian Forces. Assistance | hns been given to Belgians, Swedes, Russians, and other nationalities, some of ; the men being callcd to the colours of , their own regiments, under proclamation of war, whilst others enlisted with our Expeditionary Force. Tho diversity of tho requests put forward was endless; in the commercial section applications were received for resistance to establish grocery, confectionery, and boot-re-j pairing businesses, for the. purchase of a boardinghouso. etc., whilst prospeetlvn soldior-settlers claimed for stores on bush sections, for -payment of tho first halfyear's rent of dairy and agricultural lanns, and others were helped to commence active operations as poultryfarmers, etc. In many of these cases I your committee acted in co-operation | with the Crown Lands Department and ■ tiho Repatriation Department; but the point is that without your supplementary assistance many of the men would j have been faced with almost insuperi able difficulties, and perhaps have been I tempted to abandon their enterprise, i "Tools of trade have been supplied to ! carpenters, cabinotmakers, plumbers, bootmakers, tinsmiths, printers, .etc. In these cases tho men ihad made heavy allotments to dependants, and your committee considered it would inflict hardship upon them to have ,to refund a comparatively small, loan 'to tho Repatriation Department. Moreover, immediate employment was available. , "Grants of furniture have boen made to aien who broke up their homes to en- ! list, and incidental travelling expenses, | together wilih clothing of all descriptions, i have been given to men proceeding to em- | ployment. Grants to tho female do- ■ pendants of our soldiers varj between the supply of baby clothing payment of , costs of confinement, and payment of I funeral expenses.

"There has been a particularly heavy increase in requests. to assist men rehabilitated from one to three years ago who have suffered a temporary breakdown in health, with corresponding loss, of emuloyment, the causo being directly traceablo to war service. In some cases tho wife was. approaching her second confinement, and per medium of the Red Cross Societv and the Women's National Reserve of New Zealand, additional hospital comforts, when required, have been provided for the husband; the young child and the personal effects of both hushand and wife being wifegnarded whilst the latter was also in hospital. There is every evidence that many claims of this nature will be submitted to your committee for some year? to come, and it should be remembered that in all of them it is imperative that immediate action bo taken.

"Finaily. your committee would direct attention to the fact ttlint the actual increase in the number of cases presented to it is no criterion of its augmented activities, for the cases investigated are now much more difficult of solution than they were when the mere' payment of n temporary weekly allowance would meet the position; whilst tho number of requests for indirect assistance lodged personally by residents of the Dominion as well as by letter from many ex-New Zealand soldiers domiciled in various parts of the world, has thrown iipon your committee a very large amount of additioual work."