WAR RELIEF FUND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3991, 26 July 1915, Page 7

WAR RELIEF FUND.

THE PROPOSED FEDERATION. CISBORNE COMMITTEE’S ATTITUDE. DELEGATE APPOINTED TO OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION. Tlie Citizens’ Defence Committee held a s]>ecial meeting on Saturday morning to reconsider the question of sending a delegate to represent the Committee at the conference, of Patriotic Societies to he held in Wellington fur the purpose of discussing stops to he taken regarding the administration of the fund for wounded soldiers and tlieir dependents. Air. J. W. Bright, chairman of the committee, presided, and there were also present Messrs. G. Stock, A. H. Wallis, G. Runciman, E. H. Alarm, R. S. Floranco, F. B. Barker. F. W. J. Anderson, V. Pyke, W. G. Sherratt, and Hon. W. Morgan. Tim Chairman said that when the committee last met it had decided that it was not necessary to send a delegate to the conference, but since then a considerable amount of iliscussion had taken place, not only through the press, but a number of those who had contributed largely to the funds luid also expressed their views, and it was for that reason that he had called this meeting, to see if they were stilt of the same opinion. Air. Bright read additional correspondence on the subject, wlijcli, he said, might have been, placed before the last meeting but which, owing to an accident, he had not noticed until after the meeting. Ho pointed out that this correspondence and a. precis of a .speech by Air. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., originator of the scheme, plainly indicated that the proposal embodied pooling the funds collected in the different military areas. Air. Anderson remarked that this was not indicated in the correspondence previously before the committee, but Mr. Bright pointed out that he was reading from letters of a more recent date than the one referred to by Air. Anderson. . Continuing, Air. Bright said he thought the committee was in favor of retaining the administration of its own particular funds, but it would be advisable for them to know more of the general scheme, and, indeed, to main lull particulars, and soj it had occurred to him that Hon. W. Alorgan, who was going South on Sunday night, could attend! the conference on their behalf, and lie had invited that gentleman, who was a member, ex officio, to be present at the committee s meeting. His idea was that Air. Alorgan should submit a report on the conference and not pledge the committee in anyway.' . . .. A desultory discussion on the proposed pooling of funds showed that, apparently without exception, all piesent were opposed to such a scheme. Air. Slier rath moved that Hon. W . Alorgan be asked to attend the continence and report what takes place. “Personally,” said Air. Sherratt, I am not in favor of the funds being attached in any way. I think we are quite capable of administering our ow n funds, and I think we ought, to keep control, because we are a long way from Wellington, and I think every case should be tried on its merits. ’ In seconding the motion, Mr. Anderson suggested that the chairman and Mr. Sherratt, as Mayor, should also attend the. conference, hut both these gentlemen pleaded urgent business annointments. Air * Anderson said that it- now came to light that it was proposed to pool tlie funds, and he was against- that, hut he thought they ought to see what the proposal was. Mr. Stock said that until the war was over it would' be impossible to decide on a scale of relief, and until then they should administer their own funds. Later, when it became 'known how many men were to be provided for, it might be advisable to pool the funds and arrange a uniform scale oi Mr. Florance pointed out that they should be careful not to do anything which might place them outs.de the pale, as it were, m regard to obtaining information. The Chairman remarked that tiiat was a point to be considered, for, extraordinary as it might seem, there was no record k, pt locally of-the men who had gone to the Front fj'om this district. He had ascertained that a record 'had been kept for some time, but it had subsequently been dtestroyMr. Mann expressed the opinion that the committee could lose- nothing by being represented at the continence, and this was apparently the feeling of the meeting, the motion being carried unanimously. Air. Alorgan, who left for the South last evening, will represent the committee at a conference representative of patriotic bodies, etc., in the Wellington Military Area in Wellington on the 27th inst., and at the federation Conference on the 28tli inst. He is not empowered to commit the committee in any way, only to report on the proceedings at the conference.