OVER £5000 RAISED

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 35, 10 August 1936, Page 10

OVER £5000 RAISED

MCGREGOR FUND

EXPENSES NIL

Initiated to assist the dependants of the late Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor, who was fatally injured in an aeroplane accident at Rongotai, the McGregor National Fund has now closed, the total amount received being £5149 15s, with a sum of approximately £15 yet to be forwarded from the Wairarapa. It is claimed that the raising of this money is unique in New Zealand collections as the gross amount, mentioned above, is also the net amount. There were no expenses of any kind whatever, and every penny [subscribed goes to the fund. Postages, telegrams, clerical work, and everything else were donated by members of the committee, in addition to their services, and the Associated Banks :made all transactions free of exchange.

A meeting of the committee was held on August 3, Mr. C. Weinstein presiding over an attendance consisting of Messrs. L. Taylor, G. G. Wallace, A. F. Castle, R. P. Smillie, H. C. Walker, and P. Hereford. Mr. W. T. Eyre was absent through illness, and Mr. G. M. Spence (Blenheim) forwarded his views per letter. The chairman expressed his appreciation of the response by the public and the Government to the fund, and of the work of the various aero clubs, newspapers, and individual members of the committee. It was resolved to make the terms of the deed of trust as wide as possible with reference to the discretionary ! powers of the trustees, to allow of a portion of the capital fund to be available for family emergencies. It was decided to recommend the Guardian Trust Company as trustee with Mrs. McGregor; and Mr. Walker as advisory trustee (representing the committee), and any other advisory trustees nominated by. Mrs.. McGregor, if so desired.

Headed by a grant of £500 by the Government, response was forthcoming from all parts of New Zealand, and there were contributions from England, including one from Wing-Commander S. Grant-Dalton, formerly Director of New Zealand Air Services.

The following were the amounts of the district collections:—Auckland, £639 2s 3d; Canterbury, £491 19s lOd; Hawke's Bay, £324 8s 2d; Gisborne, 10s 6d; Manawatu, £789 16s 2d; Marlborough and Nelson, £ 114 3s 3d; Otago,

£395 18s; Taranaki, £81 15s 9d; Southland, £291 3s 2d; Waikato, £112 2s 9d; ■ Wairarapa, £118; Wanganui, £63 4s 3d; West Coast, £110 11s; Wellington £1109 lls Id; from England, £7 8s 10s. ...

Wellington's contributions were: The "Dominion," £382 6s 3d; "Evening Post," £416 14s sd; VTrulh" (N.Z.), Ltd.. £50; "Radio Record," £1 2s 6d; "Wings," £23 lls Od; "Hutt News," £2; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (N.Z.), Ltd., £5 ss; Wellington Aero Club, £228 lls lid.