A THANK OFFERING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2166, 21 August 1920, Page 4

A THANK OFFERING.

SHEEP-OWNERS* GENEROUS GiET. In li)I8 the British Government informed Now Zealand that it had been decided to allow the Dominion wool-growers ball’ the profits made by the Imperial authorities on the sale of their wool Tor civilian purposes. In July of that year, at a meeting of .the Farmers’ Lnion at Marten, a motion by Mr E. Newman, M.P., was carried —That this extra profit should be devoted to a fund for the dependents of members of the British Navy and mercantile marine who were killed or disabled during the war. On Wednesday a meeting' of farmers who have been attending the Wool -growers’ Conference in Wellington was held at the Parliament buildings to decide as to the disposal of the money. There was a large number presold, and the Minister for Lands (the Hon. D. Guthrie) attended. Mr E. Newman, M.P., presided. Mr Newman prefaced his remarks bearing upon the matter in hand by slating that though he disliked to take upon himself the role of a prophet, he entirely agreed with the Prime Minister 'that there was no need for pessimism at the present time in regard to the prospects for wool and meat. The. meeting was hold for the purpose of taking steps, to give effect to the scheme, the foundation of which had been laid at Marlon. A very regrettable delay had taken place in'lhe payment of the half-prolits. though the woolgrowers themselves must not take any blame for it. It bad been a matter of extraordinary dilliculty. The imperial Government had now intimated that the lirsl instalment of the surplus profits would amount to j:130,0')0 odd. About one-fourth of the total shcepfarmers of the Dominion had signed ltie agreement to devote their share to the fund, and this would give an amount of about JJ25O,()0(). Some farmers bad signed for definite periods. He expressed the regret lie felt that so small a proportion of the farmers had joined the fund, but it was uuforlunaie that at about the lime the sehenio was started many Tanners were suffering from severe snowstorms in the South, and disastrous (ires in the North. It was now proposed to make another appeal, and it was hopt'd that oll'.ers would join the scheme. He did not propose to say much regarding the objects of the fund. The public memory was short, but he did not believe anyone could forget what the navies of Britain and the Allies, and the mercantile marine had done during the war, (Hear, hear.) But for the men of thc.sjf services not a bale of woo! or a single carcase could have been sent awav. Mr Newman referred further to the work of the British Navv generally during the war, and

emphasised that there had been no

record of any difficulty in get tin*! men for (lie dangerous work of manning the over-seas ships. ‘‘We, who have joined the fund, .-mid Mr Newman, “desire to express some gratitude I" Almighty God, the British Navy, and the merchant service for what was done in our interests, and our gratitude is (o lake practical shape in seeing that the dependents of those who suffered death or disablement shall not go without the necessaries ol life for the rest of their days. lie hoped that, when the permanent board of trustees was set up such investigation would be made that, starting with the New Zealand ships, they would be able to feel that none of the people to whom they were indebted had been forgotten. INVESTMENT OF FUNDS.

It was proposed, said Mr Newman, to hand the money to tlie* Public Trustee. It would pay interest at: current rales. A permanent Board of Trustees would be appointed in New Zealand, who in turn would appoint another board in London. The latter would consist of the High Commissioner (Sir James Allen), who was keenly interested in the scheme, a representative of the Admiralty, another of the Merchant Service, and one or two well-known sheep-fanners resident in London. This board woud investigate what bad been done by the various societies at Homo for the sailors and the Merchant Marino; and afterwards their recommendations would come to New Zealand, and be dealt with by the local board, which would be the controlling body. It was proposed-to limit the fund to the period terminated at 33st March, lUll), Mr Newman paid a tribute to the gratuitous services of the trustees, and those of the hon. secretary (Mr T. R. Lees), and Mr Watson. Mr Lees had had a great deal of the spade work to do. He also specially thanked the Misses Ellis, Hughes, Blakistou, StuartForbes, Lees, and others, of the Lower Hull, for their voluntary services. (Applause). INCOME TAX DIFFICULTIES.

It was proposed to ask the Government to enable the income lax to be paid directly out of the fund, so that those making the gift would not suiter. To enable this to be done, special legislation would be necessary, and it was proposed that an enabling clause should be inserted in the Washing-Up Bill. A few of those who had originally attached their signatures to the scheme had -withdrawn. The original number, 6,500, had been reduced in this way by only 44. It was proposed that they should be allowed to withdraw; the promoters did not desire to have unwilling contributors. PERMANENT TRUSTEES.

It was decided on the motion of Mr J. B. Kells that the following gentlemen be asked to act us per-

nmncnl trustees of the Neve Zealand Shoepowners’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund: — Sir Walter Buchanan (Masterimi), and Messrs Ralph Beelham (Mas(erton), H. M. Campbell, M.F. (Hastings), J. (’. N. Grigg (Longbeach), T. R. Lees (Wellington), G. L. Marshall (Marion), Hon. W, D. S, MacDonald, M. P. (Wellington), James Murray (Kawa Point), Edward Newman, M.P. (Marion), A. E. Pearce (Wellington), A. Boyle (Christchurch), W. A. Senile (Waimale), M. Bothell (Canterbury), and W. D. Hunt.

Mr T. R. Lees was appointed hon>rarv treasurer.

RESOLUTIONS PASSED

On the motion of Mr- W. S. Strang, it was resolved: —‘‘That the interim dividend from surplus wool profits now in process of distribution, covering profits made by the Imperial Government on wool sold iil> to 31st March, IUIU, shall be the final dividend so far as authorities to pay to the Seamen’s Fund are concerned.”

Mr A. Simpson moved, Mr Clifton seconded, and it was carried: ‘Thai 1 lie trustees be authorised to pay the wbue or any part of the moneys belonging to the fund to (he Public Trustee to be invested by him a." agent for the fund, and to hold mch moneys and all interest therein in manner from lime to time directed by the trustees.’’

Allot her resolution, moved by Mr W. Perry, seconded by Sir W. Buchanan, was passed: “That the trustees be authorised to pay out ol moneys received income lax and gift duly if payable, as assessed by the Commissioner of Taxes on the individual amounts contributed, the bilenlion being that it shall be minecessary for contributors to show amounts subscribed to this luiid in ‘heir separate income tax returns.’ Regret was expressed that ilm Government would not remit I lie taxation on the .amount of.the gift. BIG W(MIL-GROWERS ALOOF. Mr Fisher (Gulverden) regretted that anyone 'should lie allowed to withdraw from the scheme. He aNo said that some of the big sheepfanners in his district had stood aloof from the scheme.

w Mr Newman believed, that no doubt some men had been carried away at the time by enthusiasm, and now wished to retract their promis-

es, Many cases where there were withdrawals from the fund seemed to be,justified by circumstances. He, personally, bad received letters from men who bad lost sous at the war and now found themselves linmcially unable to make (lie gift they had promised.. Certain names had also been struck off the list at the advice of the trustees' solicitor, but no further names could be struck off after (he passing of the resolu-

tions £s» , Mr Fisher ,suggested that the

names' of the subscribers, and the amounts they had subscribed, should lie published, so dial the people might see who had been generous and who had not.

The Minister of Lands lliongliti I hat the publication of a list of the subscribers could be arranged. He believed that, the preparation of

such a list would be fair to everybody.

A farmer present said that he honeyed many people had signed under a misapprehension. He was a -mall fanner with a'big mortgage ;ud a young family, lie had signed because be believed that everybody was signing, but he found now that Ihe big men in his district had not signed, and that he was making a. sacrifice while his neighbours were keeping aloof. Mr Grigg agreed that some of the big men had not signed. That was the position in Canterbury. He suggested that a further effort should be made to enlarge the number of subscribers, and he moved that the permanent trustees should lie instructed to make an effort in that direction. People who would not land over all their profits might bo isked what proportion of them they Aould give. Sir Walter Buchanan pointed-out hat in voluntary effort it was always the willing givers who made he sacrifices. If the willing men railed until (lie unwilling men mov'd, nothing would ever be done.

Several other sheep-owners stal'd that the big farmers in their disriets had not signed the agreement. Eventually Air Grigg's motion was •a riled. The meeting closed with votes of hanks to the trustees and to others rlio had worked to make the scheme i success.