ADVISORY BOARD

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 8, 5 October 1920, Page 8

ADVISORY BOARD

6 SOME WELLINGTON REMITS COST OP CAMP COMFORTS i ~ A conference of the Advisory Board of war relief associations is to be held on October 15 next in Wellington, At last week's meeting of the Wellington War Relief Association several remits were submitted for consideration by the chairman (Mr. L. O. H. Tripp. The first remit submitted was as follows:—"That after providing: for present claims of the totally and partially, disabled men and th£ir dependants, the conference urges every society to conserve its funds for tho benefit of future claims, particularly thoso of men who break-down from time to time as the result of their war service, and their dethis conference being of opinion that just claims will bo made on war relief and patriotic funds for many Year*./' This waa passed without discussion. Tho recent remit, as slightly amended, , roads follows:—"That if at any time, any society more funds than aro sufficient to provide for all claims in its particular district, it is the duty of that society to help other societies which ! have not sufficient funds for soldiers and ■tlieir dependants." : «J he i fi lird remit r ead as foliows:lhat tho. personnel of the War Funds Council should be altered, and that the council should consist of representatives i ? a . n d patriotic societies who have been actively engaged in the administration of war relief funds, and gwo a representative of the Returned ooldiers. Association and other bodies ! j ' ,een the war funds. and, whoso war funds may be transferred to Hie council." , Th* chairman explained that at present the War Funds Council consisted of tho Minister of Internal Affairs and the Mayors of the principal cities. The peisonnel of the council was such that it was composed of men who had little practical experience in the administration of such, funds, and what he had i'n his mind was that it might be .altered to include representatives of 6ome of the principal war relief societies who had been doing this work for years. The war Funds CounciJ had some ,£37,000 in hand, contributed by the Bank of New Zealand (£10,000) nnd firms and individuals. Mr. l)avis was watching the administration of tho various war funds very carefully, and was diverting money to the council from funds tho objects of which had ceased to exist. Other bodies "'ho had funds which could be brought tho. War Council's Fund were the x.M.G.A.'and Salvation Army. The view ire took was that such bodies had no right to spend any of these moneys en peaoe objects until all claims ot disabled and- needy soldiers were satisfied, and the balance should be carefully conserved against contingencies. If that-wc-ro done, and tho personnel of tho War Funds Council changed, tho fund would be a popular ono with all patriotic war relief associations, which at present had the idea that in handing over funds to tho War Funds Council they were giving them to the Government. Recently the Minister of Internal Affaire had convened a conference with tho object of ascertaining whotiior there was any overlapping in tho camps as between the various bodies. The Hod Cross, Salvatwn Army,-and Y.M.C.A. were present, and he had been invited to be present. The difference in the cost per head spent on comforts and recreation for tho men in medioal camps was very-marked." At Narrow Neck (Auckland) the oost was it 4s. Id. per head per week; at Auckland, <£1 13a. 6d.; at Waikato, ,£1 Bs. 2d.; 1 at Rotorua, 17s. 2d., and at Gisborne .£2 2s. <kl. The average in tho Auckland district was .£1 3s. 2d. At New Plymouth the cost was .£1 Bs. 7d., and at Trentham only 12s. Bd. The percentages worked out as. follow:—Red Cro3s, 51 per oeufc.; Salvation Army, 14 per cent.; Y.M.C.A., 13 per cent.; other patriotic bodies, 11 per cent.; St. John Ambulance, 2 per cent,; Church funds, etc., i cent. Mr. C. M. Luke said that an arrangement had been arrived at, and there was no overlapping at Trentham. The chairman said that ho put' the position bofore them, as it was a question whether all that was necessary could not be done just as .well by ono organisation. That was in his mind when he suggested the alteration in the • personnel of the War Funds Council. Tho remit was unanimously approved. The final remit approved was: "That it should bo the duty cf the War Funds Council to conserve its funds so as to bo in a position to help any soldier or his dependants in any part, of New Zealand at. any time it should so happen that the local War Relief or Patriotic Society's funds have become depleted."