HOROWHENUA COUNTY PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATON.

Otaki Mail, Volume 27, 7 November 1919, Page 4

HOROWHENUA COUNTY PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATON.

' ' MONTHLY MEETING. ; j The monthly meeting of the above | was held at the Council Chambers, ; Levin, on "Wednesday afternoon last. Present:. Messrs P. W. Goldsmith (chairman), P. P. Walkley (secretary?, C; S. Kcedu-cll, T. Vincent, B. R. Gardener (Levin), Mesdames T. Gibson and Hallam (Shannon), Messrs Prank Penn (Otaki) and W. J. Howell (Paraparaumu). Apologies were received for the absence of Messrs Tatton Praser, G. Kilsby, L. St. George, C. Nees and Howard Andrew,

A mass of correspondence was read and dealt with, dealing principally with assistance sought for returned men. The Wellington War Relief Association wrote re advance made to a returned soldier from the Horowhenua district who needed help. He had been found board and lodging for some time, and also helped to provide civilian’s clothes. They had also given £2 10s to help an Otaki soldier, who had appealed lo them for assistance.—Refunds to be made in each instance, but it was resolved to ask the Wellington body not to advamc.e any further money on their behalf in respect to one of the cases, j Mr W. J. Howell reported having asIsistod a soldier, under peculiar circumstances, which lie detailed. The man I was a stranger, and, evidently while • suffering from shell shock, had acted strangely, and Mr Howell had assisted him in good faith. —Money advanced by Howell to be refunded. | ft was reported that the Wellington War Relief Association had, after consulting with the local Association, expended £lO in supplying tools to' an Otaki returned soldier. The Wanganui-WaitotaTa Association wrote stating they had advanced £3 10s lor three weeks to a Levin soldier —a married man with a large family, who was in straitened circumstances pending receipt of his pension. The meeting, being satisiied this was a deserving ease, refunded the money spent, and resolved to- extend relief at the rate of £3 10s iter week for a further term of four weeks. The action of an Otaki member of the committee in expending a small sum in a necessitous case was approved, and the money refunded. * Several sums expended by other Associations, on behalf of men from the Horowhenua district, were refunded by the meeting. Mufti Allowance. The Chairman stated that they had before them a largo number of applications for allowances for civilian clothing. Many of these applicants were men who had not been wounded, or were in straitened circumstances, but who appeared to think that they cosld get a few pounds if they asked for it. In view of the fact that liberal gratuities were being paid to the men, and the fact that the Association’s funds were limited, Mr Goldsmith thought it would be well for the Association to adopt a policy with regard to clothing allowances. Mr B. K, Gardener said the Association had been going beyond its legal powers ill making clothing grants in the past, and thought the practice shoutd be discontinued. Ho pointed out that some 1000 soldiers liad gone from the district, and if they gave each £5 clothing allowance, that would use up the greater part of their funds. He' contended the money should be converted for sick and wounded soldiers and their dependents. The same applied to giving grants for purchase of tools, etc., as had been done. Assistance of this sort, he claimed, should come from the Repatriation Board. The Chairman explained that the Association had acted perfectly legally in making mufti allowances in the past, as their rules and regulations provided for this. Each ease liad been considered on its merits. Mr IV. J. Howell thought it quite right to make grants in cases where assistance was seally needed, but in cases of lit men he did not think it necessary. The Chairman pointed o"ut that some bodies had made mufti allowances to all men. and evidently some men had the impression that Horowhenua might do the same. j The secretary said that applicants to him had asked for the clothing grant as their right, though they were quite lit, and nothin want at all. He thought it would bo wise to make it known that the Association did not make it- a rule to make this allowance. Mrs Hallam (Shannon) stated that the impression had gone abroad in Shannon that every soldier could get the allowance if he applied for it, and that was the reason why at least some of the Shannon applications had been sent in. After some little further discussion, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Penn, seconded by Mr Howell, that no mufti allowances be made, other than in cases thought by the committee to be necessitous. j-

The meeting then considered a large number of applications fur assistance—mostly for clothing allowances, varying from £5 to £ls. The greater number ot these applications were not entertained by the committee, the majority of the applicants being fit, single men. who were earning fair wages.

In two or three instances mufti allowances of £5 each were passed to men who had been wounded or were suffering from sickness.

J Dealing with some ten Shannon ap--1 plications for mufti allowances. Mrs • Gibson said in most cases the grants I v.erc not required at all. and it was, in ! her opinion, ridiculous to grant them. unless the Association had money they ■ i wanted to throw awny. One man, who applied for a grant to '"•purchase furniture, was advised to send -his application to the Repatriation ■• Board-