The Dominion. MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1920. WAR RELIEF FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 133, 1 March 1920, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1920. WAR RELIEF FUNDS

Some of the bodies controlling Win* relief funds have been giving attention of late to the means of scouring, uniformity and economy in administration, and the wnole question is to be considered at a meeting to be held here this week, under the auspices of the Nov Zealand Advisory Board. Eftort on these lines is much to be commended, ■ since it is calculated to confer the greatest possible benefit upon the soldiers and dependants of soldiers in whoso interests the patriotic funds were raised. The total sum still available in this category is large. A return laid before Parliament last session showed that at the end of March, 1919, the amount remaining in the hands of the patriotic societies was £1,871,000. T' lls total was irrespective of Red Cross funds. Although the repatriation of soldiers has been in rapid progress during the past eleven months, it is likely that the amount still held by the patriotic societies is in thc_ region' of a- million and half sterling. It is a matter of common agreement, also, .that the helpful activities of these bodies will have _ to be continued for a very long time to come. No doubt demands for temporary relief will diminish rapidly as time goes on, but it is likely that calls will be made on the patriotic funds a-s lone as totally or partially disabled soldier? and their adult defendants survive. Alike in view of the large amount of money involved, and of the fact that its disbursement will he extended over 1 a lengthy period, economical administration must be regarded as of vital importance. Stopping short at any point _ of thoroughly efficient and economical working, the patriotic societies would simply be wasting money that ought to go to disabled soldiers and their dependants. Morn or less useful suggestions aiming at uniformity and at economical administration have been put forward by a number of patriotic societies and associations. Details were published on Saturday of proposals for the standardisation of relief which are being considered, but have not vet been adonted by the Wellington War Relief Association, together with related _ suggestions made by other patriotic .bodies. Only some of the smaller societies seem as yet to have carried the matter to its logical conclusion by suggesting that the patriotic funds should be consolidated on a national basis. The Mangalwa, Patriotic Society, for instance, has forwarded the following remit to be considered at the meeting to lie held on Thursday:— That nil moneys raised throughout the Dominion of New Zealand by the various patriotic associations for the niil of sick and wounded soldiers be consolidated in one fund, and be vested in five trustees, three of whom shall be appointed by tho Advisory .Board, and two by the Minister of Defence, and the income to arise therefrom he devoted towards the upkeep and assistance of incapacitated returned soldiers. As matters stand, it is the Minister of Internal Affairs, not the

Minister or Defence, who is con'corncd with the administration of patriotic funds, and no doubt this arrangement is judicious. As the remit reads, also,.it implies that only the income arising from funds is to be utilised for purposes of relief. This can hardly hare been intended. Setting aside such details, however, the main proposal of the_ Mangahua Society—that, patriotic funds should be consolidated into a single Dominion fund—well deserves to be considered. No doubt it will be opposed on parochial grounds, particularly by bodies whose funds are exceptionally large in relation to the demands they have to meet. On its "merits, however, the proposal ought to command approval. The soldiers for whom the funds were raised certainly did not fight for this or that district; they fought for their country. Neither can it be suggested that members of the_ public in subscribing to the patriotic funds did so from a district or parochial standpoint. The normal attitude was that of giving in order that the soldiers of the Dominion and those dependent on them might be assisted and relieved. Nothing, therefore. could be sounder in principle than to pool the patriotic funds on a national basis. This would at onco facilitate uniformity in giving assistance, and create conditions lending themselves to the utmost economy in administration. Local committees to administer relief would still be necessary, as in existing circumstances, but if they were definitely organised on a national basis their work would be simplified. . The work of administration as a whole would be very greatly simplified in these conditions, and the expenses of administration, though in some cases they are very low at present, would no doubt be appreciably reduced. Probably it is at least as important that if the patriotic funds were consolidated on a national basis their earning power would be increased. It will be a great pity if the delegates who are to assemble at Thursday's meeting allow local prejudice to impede in any way the attainment of sound efficiency and economy in handling and disbursing these funds. The right course clearly is to consider the problems raised from a national standpoint, and with an eye solely to the best interests of the men who fought for fjie Dominion and their dependants.