PATRIOTIC MATTERS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 30 May 1919, Page 3

PATRIOTIC MATTERS.

COUNTY ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE.

A meeting of the executive of the Horowhenua County Patriotic Association was held at Levin oil Wednesday afternoon, when there were some Jwenty-onc members present, all parts of the district being well represented. Mr C. Blenkhorn presided. A mass of correspondenec was dealt

.with. Letters were Tcad from secretaries tof several societies notifying the appointment of' representatives to the Association's committee. Mrs Hallam replaces Mr Henncssy as one of the Shannon representatives, and Mr B. B. (gardener takes Mr Blenkhorn's place jat Levin. The meeting appointed Mr 3r. G. Vincent as a representative for Eoputaroa,in place of Mr Higginson. Several correspondents forwarded Subscriptions to the. Association. Loans and Grants. The action - of the secretary in granting assistance to some four or five soldiers—all small sums—was approved, anil in one or two instances a contimuastlon Of the help afforded was auffroriscd.

Three loans of £l5O each were granted .to returned soldiers, all on the usual jfcerms asset out in. the policy o£ the association, -viz., tho soldiers to provide t>vo acceptable guarantors for the Iflans, the rate of interest to be 4* per fcent," In all of the above cases the reports furnished were most favourable. Straight-out grants of £25 and £2O respectively were made to assist returned soldieTS at Levin and Paekaka•tiki, both cases being recognised as deriving special treatment from the Association.

Assistance to the extent of £1 per .week for three mouths was also granted Jo an Otaki soldier's wife and family, Mic Case to be kept in view by the Otaki representatives, and a similar amount C2l week for three months) was granted to a soldier in the southfern end of the district, whoso case was fcliawpioned by Messrs Howell and Austin. Mr Howell said this was one, of tiio most deserving cases ever brought before the Association. The soldier referred to would not ask for any assistance, but thoroughly deserved all they Could do for hini. Some discussion cisued re a proposed grant to assist a university student to Continue Ms studies. The Minister for Internal Affairs reported that he was •favourably impressed with this case, laA would grant £SO per annum for four years, provided the Patriotic Association granted a similar sura, ©r at least helped to some extent. The Association representatives of the district from which the student hailed reported favourably towards a grant of £25 per iaaapl for two years. Several members of the meeting expressed the spinion that university students should not fiavc preferential treatment over any ether men who had gone to the front, and eventually the meeting by a largo taajority negatived a resolution, proposed and seconded by Otaki delegates, £&at a grant of £25 per annum for two gears be made.

A New President,

II being stated that Mr Blenkhorn I £afl resigned from the position of chair- \ ffiail, several gentlemen present exgreSSea keen-regret at Mr Blenkhorn's > tesifination. A vote of hearty thanks So Mr Blenkhorn was carried unanim- } Blislyv a number of speakers testifying j $0 Mr Blenkhorn 's zeal in the Association's interests and his capable administration. Mr P. -W- Goldsmith was unanimously fclecfeato the position of president of ■the Association. _ _ : A very lengthy meeting, at which a fcrge amount of business was dealt, svitfr, concluded at a late hour.