To Help the Wounded

Horowhenua Chronicle, 15 May 1915, Page 3

To Help the Wounded

— v LEVIN'S PAIiX IN QUEEN OAKMVAL. A public meeting wna jielil in Levin last niglit to discuss means oi assisting to make a success of the Queen Carnival to 1 J held at Wellington next month. There was ail attendance of about fifty. Jn addressing the meeting the Mayoi (Mi Gardener) .said he was disappointed oVor tiot having" a larger audicuce present- He was especially disappointed of the men «1 Levin to attend. The meeting oi women held that aft«rn<x»n was large and enthusiastic, some forty being in attendance; that iuji^-s't here were about half-a-dozen men "(l¥ese(i t though tin- ladies had mustered thirty.- -Mr Gardener went on to explain tli(; purposes for which the Queen Carnival was being conducted and stressed the necessity for making provisions to help the wounded and invalided men who would be coming hack to us from the Dardanelles and elsewhere. Mr Gardener .said there should bo a complete canvass of the district from Fox ton to Paekakitriki; if that were done they should get contributions of farm produce and other goods tliat would yield perhaps JCIDOO when sold on Newtown Park at the carnival. •' He regretted, again.• the absence of the men of Levin from the meeting, for he thought the men eonild do good work personally 111 canvassing settlers whom tlioy knew. For himself, he proposed to visit Otaki and other towns of the county, in company with Mrs Gardener, and organise the settlers there into committees to work their immediate vicinities. Mr Gardener concluded by expressing a hope that the natives of the county would assist in the movement. They were excellent workers in any cause they took up. It was reported to the meeting that the ladies' committee had chosen blue and silver as tho colours for Levin's candidate for election to the honor of Queen of the Carnival. Mr George Astridge asked if the term "dependent" included "widow." He did not- think it should; there were plenty of widows with children dope ident upo'i them now working to earn their lirings and getting no assistance. The Mayor replied that if .1 man was killed at the war it was the duty of the country to support his widow. (Applause). Mr Astridge also wanted to know would the • fact of a wounded soldier belonging to a Friendly Society result in his allowances from the fund being cut down. The Mayor considered that all the circumstances of each would l io taken into account. Tf the allowance to a man from his lodge wa.s sufficient for his individual case probably tlieawould be no grant; if his ens" wa.s exceptional ,no doubt a grant would he made. Mr Goldsmith, speaking on the proposal to have entcrtaimnoi.ts. sai i they might he given in centre* besides Levin, when Professor Carston brought uj) hjs concert party to L<s?in. Mr W. Hughes advocated the setting up of a committee of men forthwith, to assist the ladies' committee. Mr F. JS. Parker supported the suggestion. A committee was set up as suggested. Messrs W. Hughes, H. Denton. D. Porteous, D. S. Mackenzie. I'. T>. "Wallace. Rev H. T. Stealey. \\ . fl. Plaster.. C. S. Keedwell. Guy Kuigdon. Oorringe, F. E. Parker. Major Burlinson, S. A. Uroadbelt, Dr. Hry-son. James Prouse, F. Nicholson, "Waller Ryder, P. A .Curtis, N. Kirkealdie. .1. R. McDonald, 'C. H. Pyke, Rhoderielc McDonald. C. Blenkhorn, AV. G. Adkin, Dr. Davies, Peter Stewart, IX W. Matheson, W. S. Park, R. V Broun. F. C. Remington, J. C. Neil], I-I. H. Cork, G. P. Brown, C. Bartholomew, J. C. Refter. Rere Nicholson, and four representatives-of the t riemlly .Societies, J Young (Druids) 0. Abridge (Oddfellows), G. Davison (Forested H E. Keys (Rechabites) an I Father Henri (Hibernians). The Mayor bore testimony to the excellent manner in which ATr Goldsmith had carried out the dut,- u! treasurer to the various patriotic fund- Mr Goldsmith was elected treasure]- to the m-rvement, amidst applause. Mr Gardener was elected secretary, pro tem. on the nnderst i><d;t>g that an election of some other rumirvr to il.e secretaryship would he undo at tiie committee meeting to be "r'.l next Tuesday ,in Miss MeKoggs ten-rooms, at 7.30 p.m.

The Dunedin Star says.—"The etatoliiont that the Minister of Defence will go to the front, if occasion offers, ami that his name has been added to the list of available men, appears to be no more than interestesting gossip in Wellington. Wo nro in a position to state that Mr Allen's services will tind exercise in a different, but none the less effective, form. Apart from the fact that ago prevents bis acceptance tor military service, the administrative duties devolving upon him as Minister of Pinance and Defence—arduous duties that have l)een acceped willingly and performed with conscientious thoroughness—demand "his service in quieter sphere nf activity."