£200 PROM R.S.A.
Gift To Patriotic Fund
EXAMPLE TO PUBLIC A decision to give £2OO to the National Patriotic Fund Board for the rehabilitation of the men of the new army was made yesterday by the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. The conference had before it a proposal that the association make an interestfree loan to the Government for war purposes. The discussion was taken in committee, and the conference reached its decision after it had decided that a donation to the patriotic fund for the rehabilitation of the men now serving would be within the objects of the association and would be an example to the public to support a movement with which returned soldiers sympathized. • An explanation of the organization for the collection and administration of patriotic funds and the provision oi comforts for soldiers was given the conference by Mr. G. A. Hayden, secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board, who is a member of the executive committee of the association. It was decided, after he had spoken, that the association should publish a statement clarifying the position regarding the collection and administration of patriotic funds and encouraging public contributions. Comforts for Troops. There had been a certain amount of wastage because of the provision of unnecessary comforts, Mr. Hayden said, because the comforts bad been arranged on the assumption that troopship conditions would be similar to those during the Great War. The soldiers of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force travelled in much greater comfort than had been possible 25 years before. The comforts provided were not needed and had been diverted to Egypt for use as overseas comforts. The country had been divided into proviheial patriotic areas aud there was a proposal for inter-zone committees that would deal with the needs of men in particular districts. It was suggested that the R.S.A. should be represented on such committees. If returned soldiers would support local patriotic committees they could do a great deal of good for returning soldiers. Tbe Government, had brought down regulations to- ensure that the money given for the men would reach the men, and if the people would “play up” to those rules the patriotic effort would be 100 per cent, successful. It. wits up to the returned soldiers to see that the regulations were observed. In reply to questions, Mr. ’ Hayden said the Government had no say whatever In the National Patriotic Fund apart from audit and the authorizing of sterling for remitting funds overseas. The Patriotic Fund Board ; was a corporate body free from political control. The Dominion president, Mr. Perry, M.L.C., and tlie Dominion vice-presi-dent, Mr. B. J. Jacobs, supported the statement that only the board could handle the funds. Mr. D. I. Gate, Waikato, referred to funds raised by the Red Cross Society, and said that it should be made very dear who was to control such funds. Colonel H. S. Westmacott, Otorohanga, said there were hundreds of women willing to work for the Red Cross and they should be encouraged. There were other things to be made apart from hospital equipment. They wanted to knit socks and were not allowed to do so. Mr. Hayden said the Geneva Convention prohibited Red Cross workers from making goods, such as socks, for soldiers in the field. If the Red Cross provided equipment for the troops it could be fired on by the enemy.
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Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 186, 3 May 1940, Page 11
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568£200 PROM R.S.A. Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 186, 3 May 1940, Page 11
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