WAR RELIEF FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 277, 17 August 1921, Page 9

WAR RELIEF FUNDS

ADVISORY BOARD MEETS CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL A meeting of tho Advisory Board of the Federated Patriotic War Belief Societies was held in Wellington yesterday morning. As the chairman (Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp) was absent from tho country and the vice-chairman (Mr. J. J. Dougall) was also unable to attend the meeting, Mr. E. 11. Williams (Hawke’s Bay) was appointed to the chair. Tho other delegates present were: Messrs. V. J. Larner (Auckland), W. Power (Stratford), G. Wildish (Gisborne), A. O. Leach (Wellington), A. M'lntosh (Wellington), Hopo Gibbons (Wanganui), W. W. Snodgrass (Nelson), B. J. F. Aldrich (8.5. A. Wellington), D. M’Laren (Wellington), J. Begg (Otago), E. B. Grace (Otago), H. J. Farrant (Southland), tho Hon. J. Grimmond (Westland), and tho hon. secretary (Mr. R. W. Shallcrass). Blinded Soldiers. Tho first question discussed was whether a scheme for the establishment of a blinded soldiers’ fund on linos suggested by Mr. Clutha Mackenzie should be proceeded with. Before the meeting was tho following report from the secretary : — "At a conference of delegates held on October 16 last, the following resolution was carried on a division of 11 _ to < 'That this conference is of opinion and reoommends the various patriotic societies in New Zealand to establish a fund of .£lO,OOO to assist blind soldiers in the Dominion on the lines suggested by Mr. Ciutha Mackenzie.' As opinion appeared to be considerably divided, societies were asked certain questions regarding their attitude towards the proposal. The most favourable answers are from Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, and South Canterbury. Other societies willing to contribute are Ashburton, Gisborne, and Hunterville. The following societies gave unfavourable replies:—Auckland, Canterbury, Dunedin, Nelson, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Wanganui, Waverloy, and Wellington. Other societies did not reply. The Wairarapa Association suggested that the matter might be brought up again.” , , , The Advisory Board reached the following decision: —"That in viewof the division of opinion amongst societies, and as blinded soldiers are receiving pensions as well as liberal assistance where required from the Repatriation Department and the responsible societies, it is not necessary to take any further action to establish a separate fund for their benefit, particularly as such a course would be opposed to the established principle that moneys should not be distinctively set aside for any particular section of wounded men, but that each case should De treated upon its merits. Tho War Funds Council. There was a brief discussion upon the constitution of the War Funds Council. Mr Farrant moved, and Mr. Hope Gibbons seconded, tho foilwing motion, which had been drafted by the secretary: "That the Advisory Board is of oplnion—(a) That tho War Funds Council should be a body representative throughout the Dominion of patriotic organisations and the soldiers’ interests,, and should include mon experienced in the administration of war relief funds, It is considered that, the number should not exceed ten, which should include a local sub-committee of two to act with the Minister in dealing with matters of urgency, (b) That the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs should be chairman of the council, and, as soon as practicable, it should be placed on an independent self-supporting bnsis > and d ’ ie . ", d ‘ ministration of its affairs detached from anv Government Department. Mr. Power suggested that there should be added to the motion a clause providin" that the ten members should be elected from the various provincial distrMrS I,arner considered that it would be sufficient to add a clause asking the Minister to consider the mat * r er , d ®‘ q ’ with in the motion as one of.gr/sdt mjr ency It was important that there should not be any unnecessary delay. The motion was carried with the ad tion proposed by Mr. Larner. The following motion was also earned- " That in the event of the funds of any society becoming exhausted, the s-olcliers who by domicile are the responsibility of such society shall become the responsibility of the War Funds Council. Ex-Imperial Men. On the question of how the claims of ex-imperial soldiers were to be dealt with, the board passed the following resolution:— "That in order to conserve the local funds for the benefit of the local soldiers the board is of opinion that the responsibility with respect to ex-lmpenal soldiers should be undertaken by the War Funds Council, and that the same svsteni of reciprocity as exists 'between affiliated societies should apply as between societies and the War Fimas Council.” LETTER FROM MINISTER CONCENTRATION OF FUNDS. The Minister of Internal Affairs (tho Hon. W. D. Stewart), who was unable to accept an invitation to be present at the meeting, wrote to th-e Advisory Board as follows:— “There are several matters of consulerablo importance in connection with war funds which aro at present receiving the earnest consideration of the executives of the incorporated societies and my Department, and I should appreciate it if your board would favour mo with their advice on theso subjects, which are as follow:— I ■ “Throughout the Dominion, with the exception of the Wellington province, the administration of war funds is confined to not more than two or three incorporated societies, while in the Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Marlborough, Otago, and Southland provinces, tho whole of the funds are vested in one provincial society, and administered by .uch organisation by means of imprest. This arrangement works most satisfactorily and with the minimum of cost. In the- Wellington province (hero aro no less than 13 incorporated societies, and ii would appear desirable that amalgamation should take place in certain districts. “Tho collection of funds having ceased for some time, the business of tho various incorporated societies has now been confined to the granting of relief to soldiers and their dependants, and tho heavy costs of auditing which havo ui» to th* pressnt been borne from the Consolidated Fund under the provisions of the Wat Funds Act, 1915, should be very largely reduced, and I shall be glad if your board will consider tho advisability of tho cost of such auditing being met in future from the funds of tho societies. "It has been noticed that owing to the liquid assets of some societies being depleted. tho time has come to consider tho sale of securities, and at tho present time it is unlikely that they can be realised upon to advantage. It 1* undesirable that there should be any loss under this heading, and I shall be glad to hear from your hoard whether it is not deemed desirable that, as far as possible when the sale of securities becomes necessary, they he first offered to tlis* National War Funds Council at the ruling market rato, thus ensuring the value of the securities being fully conserved. , "A* you are aware, in addition to a grant of -£so<> worth of postage stamps per annum tn your board, the correspondence of all patriotic societies has, up to

the present, been made from Consolidated revenue, and the question arises as to how much longer such a liberal grant should continue. 1 shall be obliged if your board will consider to what extent the present concession should bo limited. “I trust to be able to meet your delegates at a future meeting of your Ijoard, and desire to thank them for the careful consideration they have always given to tho question of administration, of war funds, which has assisted materially in bringing about tho present satisfactory conditions.” . Tho various matters mentioned in the Minister’s letter were discussed in tlio order in which they appear above. On tlie question of further concentration of funds, the board resolved: "That it is desirable that the expense of administration of patriotic funds should be on the lowest possible scale, and where it can be shown that a reduction in administrative bodies will prove beneficial to the funds, the Advisory Board is of opinion that the Minister should exorcise his statutory powers to obtain an amalgamation of funds, or secure their diversion to the War Funds CounThe acting-chairman suggested with regard to audits that tho board might adopt the Minister’s proposal if it was assured that the Government was going to retrench in other directions also. Mr. Bogg observed that ip Otago the auditing was done voluntarily. Mr Larner thought that the Government had been put to small expense cn account of auditing. . Mt. Power thought that the societies should be permitted to appoint their own auditors He know of cases in which competent men had been P«rP?« d £ do the auditing free of charge, b "h had not been given the opportunity meiely because thev did not happen to come SdeT the eye of the Auditor-General. Paid auditors had been put in instea - Eventually the board expressed its willingness to fall in with the Minister s XX provided that the societies had Ilin right to appoint the auditors. The proposal that securities should be offered first to the National War Funds Council met with the approval of th On’The d qn«tion of postage «>™o" it was resolved to recommend that the present grant should bo continued.