The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1915.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3987, 21 July 1915, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1915.

■•Turned Down!”

The- decision of thu Citizens’ Defence

Committee not to participate in

tlio proposed national conference to consider the Pest means of dealing with funds raised for the relief of wounded sodiers is proving a subject for mucli adverse discussion. It seems to have been a rather thin meeting at winch the matter came up for consideration and some of the members who were m attendance would appear to have had onlv a very hazy notion of what was really suggested in the proposal tlu;t was before them. As far as w -e can make out a majority of those present remained under the erioneems impression not only that the scheme involved the- “pooling” of the various district funds., but also that, if a delegate from this district were sent to the conference, the local committee would, as a sequel, be bound by the decisions arrived at by the conference. How '.anybody could reach any such conclusion after perusing the circular on the subject that was "before the members is beyond understanding- The facts of the mattoi are that a. number of the leading citizens of this Dominion, foreseeing the great advantages that would accrue if a- uniform system of investigating all claims and a uniform basis of distribution of such funds could be secured, have taken this matter up. As regards the moneys available for this particular form of relief in each district there is not the slightest ground for any suggestion that, they should be handled by other than the body winch lias been elected in each districtto carry out the work. Perhaps the exact wording of the circular on the point might be quoted: “From the views expressed by nearly all the delegates attending the first conference, it was made apparent that any scheme involving the pooling of the existing district funds would not he acceptable to the committees which are operating ... with the object of providing relief for the men serving with the naval and military forces and their tiependents, as it would tend to eliminate that healthy rivalry and emulation which exists between the various districts and communities in raising moneys for those objects, in addition to the probability of curtailing the effectiveness of the relief if claims had to be referred to some central committee before being ultimately granted.’ What is proposed, in brief, is, as we have indicated, that delegates should be invited from all parts of the Dominion to attend a national conference to frame a system of distribution which would possess all the merits of of a national fund without the disadvantages of centralisation and to adopt any proposals or suggestions that might extend the usefulness of the scheme as, for example: (1) Obtaining the assistance of organisers to stimulate the raising of funds in districts where no provision has been made for the men and their dependents or where very little in that direction has been accomplished; (2) The. practicability of establishing employment bureaux for the benefit of men who have served with the Expeditionary Forces; (3) Tlio care of orphan and fatherless children; (4) Consideration of preference being given to applicants for Government and municipal employment and for Crown land ballots in favor of men who have served - with the Expeditionary Forces; (5) Marriage grants to widows who on remarrying would relinquish pension and patriotic advantages ; (6) The question of Government subsidy in aid of the work of patriotic committee®.} (7) United action in securing f t pin tlio Government adequate pensions and allowances on a. national basis, thus leaving.the voluntary help of the committees of secondary importance; (8) Some system of mutual help to bo arranged between all federated committees whereby heavy responsibilities in excess of

available funds which might bo incurred by some committee could be met by assistance from others on an agreed basis; (9) The control of federated committees ; (10) Tlio adoption' of necessary rules and regulations for all federated committees and provision lor alterations and amendments.

We can only express tbo greatest surprise that the Citizens’ Defence Committee did not fall in with the idea. To our way of thinking the proposal to hold such a national conference is both sensible and timely. An independent spirit is nol by any means a bad tiling, but it can, of course, be stretched to the point of sell!siiness of action. Here was a national opportunity where, even if any local committee considered it had nothing to leant on such a matter, it could, at least, have agreed to send a. delegate so that the others committees might be favored with a knowledge of the methods which it intended to adopt before any decisions which it might be expected would have a more general effect were come to by the proposed conference. The occasion, we- take it, will prove an excellent opportunity for an exchange of views on this important subject on the part of a large number of representative and thoroughly business-like citizens of this country. In view of all the circumstances we would, therefore, urge that the matter should receive further consideration, by our local committee. .