BLINDED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 29, 29 October 1920, Page 3

BLINDED SOLDIERS

PROPOSED SP.ECIAL FUND

WAR RELIEF ASSOCIATION'S

ATTITUDE

When the Advisory Board of the Federation of New Zealand Patriotic Wni Belief Societies met .in Wellington recently, it was decided by 11 vote- to 7 to e.yree lo the establishment of a Blindfd Soldiers' Fund of .£IO,OOO. In connection with this.matter the following letter from Mr. li. W. Shnllcruss (secretary of the Advisory Board) was considered at yesterday's meeting of the executive committee of the Wellington War Belief Association;—

"As a number of societies had expressed their unwillingness to contribute to ih-r* Blinded Soldiers' Fund suggested ! by the Advisory Board, the whole que«tion was reconsidered, at the recent condelegates. A resolution approving of the fund was declared carried by 11. votes to 7. ' being such a (livsuyi of opinion amongst the delegates, further prosvess must depend upon the support which societies may decide to gjve to the fund. I am, therefor-i*. mnirucied to secure n. reply to the followihe questions:—Will your society eonFribute its quota to the fund of ,£10,000: (21 In. the event of some tficietifs declining to contribute, will your society still nnppoft the fund n"d contribute its quota, together with an amount to . meet your share of the deficiency caused bv tin; failure of sonic. Roctefies to contribute? (.1) Tn the even I of some- societies dpel'nimr to contrlluito. Will jvour society still support a fund or'a mialler amount to be contributed to pro rata, only by those societies wrm mat express their apnroval? 1 shal' he if you will plcae the questions before the next mneting of your committee, and let mp have vnur answers in due course. When replies have been received, the Advisory Board will con'irie; n'hether it is feasible to establish n fund )n the lines of tho resolution passed by <?• confe-ence, or one of a similar cliai-| neW, but for a smaller amount."

Mr. U. .T. F. Aldricli said that wliile he had the fullest sympathy with every man who had suffered through I he'war. they must not lose sight of the fact that if men were going, to be placed in such a position as to be encouraeed to loaf, they would be miserable. P :,; - abled men must be kept occupied. "I. we want, to V*"n the blind man ha" 1 "-.' added Mr. Aldnch, "we shall have to make him work." .

Tt was explained that the ?! Winded soldfcr« at present in New Zealand wert all working. Three other blinded men had yet to arrive. . -

Mr. G. Shii'Mitl'? SaM he wni not sure whether the association would br, iustifield i" ear-marking any sum foi Minded soldiers, or anyone elf' o . Special I'liini" of, (VI sort shoi'Vl lie thrown on tV War Funds Council.

On th" motion of the chairman O f r. L. (1. H. Tr ; np\. tlie tc'owin" v»solutinu was ea'Tied''That nnl»=r oil the f- : e<! to do so, the Wellington Wai Pelief Aswiat'on shonld n«t subscribe fo the proposed Blinded PoWers' Fund, but that the fundi; controlled, by the Wai Funds Coi"'fi' should be conserveil to assist all disabled soldiers if at anytime the local society, throuirb lack of funds, should not b" in n. nosil-'nn to help adequately any disabled soldier."