CONTROL OF TRUST MONEYS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1930, Page 2

CONTROL OF TRUST MONEYS

PARTIAL AGREEMENT. RED CROSS SOCIETY AND ORDER OF ST. JOHN. WELLINGTON, July 31. In connection witn tne New Zealand branch of the British Red Cross Society and me order of St John, .Sir Charles Fergusson attended a meet..

of representatives 01 the British bodies on June 2 and related the events which led up.to tne withdrawal ol his patronage from the society, on the eve 01 his departure from New Zealand.

The Governor-General lias received a copy of a letter addressed oil behalf of the Grand Priory of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of Jerusaieum in England and the British Red Cross Society, England, to the secretary of the Dominion Executive of the Order of St John and the secretary of the New Zealand branch of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John in New Zealand, dealing with the question of the control of certain moneys held in trust. He was informed that an agreement had been reached as to the joint control of a sum of £30,000, and those prosent felt that this was at least a step towards the settlement of the dispute. They were, however, unanimously of opinion that a further sum of £24,030, raised by the same body and with the same object as the £30,000, which was awaiting transfer to the joint war committee at Home when the Armistice was declared, should he similarly controlled.

Members present, both of the Order of St John and of the British Red Cross Society, were emphatic in the view that, in order to give effect to this decision, it was essential that the organisation which at present controls this money should apply to the nro-oer authority to be dissolved, for it was neither the New Zealand Red Cross Society nor a branch of the British Red Cross Soeety, and therefore was not in a position to nominate representatives to serve on a joint committee of the order and the society. Pending its dissolution, a New Zealand branch of the British Red Cross Society should ,be established and representatives of .such society should be nominated to serve with an equal number of the Order of St John on a joint committee of the two bodies for the purpose of -the administration of the money referred to. It was further agreed that the decision as to the control of anv other sums of money at present administered by the organisation known as the New Zealand branch of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John was not one that came within the scope of either the Order of St John in England or the British Red Cross Society. This money had been raised locally and the matter of its control must be decided locally.