PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24226, 19 February 1940, Page 8

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

PROVISION FOR THE FUTURE OTAGO COUNCIL’S AIM Advice has been received from the Minister ol Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Perry) that provincial patriotic councils have the power to make provision for future requirements, and. consequently, the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council will immediately commence a canvass among the business organisations of the city with a view to obtaining funds for the benefit of the men m camp and on the troopships, and also towards building up a fund for the benefit of the men of Otago on their return from the war. The expenditure of contributions for this purpose will be completely under the control of the Otago Council. Some time ago the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council decided on a canvass of business firms for the purpose of raising funds to provide comforts to meet the needs of the-men in various camps throughout the Dominion and on troopships, but the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen), who is chairman of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council, states that this appeal has been delayed. as the executive of the Provincial Patriotic Council considered that it should also have the right to build up a fund to meet the needs of Otago men on their return from the war. when, due to sickness or wounds, they and their dependents might require their military pensions supplemented, as was done during the Great War. and up to the present time. Mr Allen stated that on February 8, Otago's views were set out in a letter to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry), who has now replied by telegram as follows: “Consider regulation 22. clause 2. of the Patriotic Purposes Emergency Regulations gives • your Patriotic Council power to provide for future requirements. The gazetting of amendment to the regulations will be referred to the National Council. Urgent need appears to me to be the provision of comforts overseas. The regulation in question states; “ The fund shall be a common fund to meet the requirements as they arise ol all purposes being, from time to time, approved purposes within the meaning of these regulations.”