Our Wounded Soldiers.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 58, 19 July 1915, Page 2

Our Wounded Soldiers.

[TO THE EDITOR] Sir,—l have read with interest Mr James Koulston's letter in yesteiday's "Time?," and your leaier relating to the same matter. It wuuld appear that there is some misapprehensiou. When the Hospital Ship Fund was instituted, at the call of our Governor, the raising of a denfite portion thereof was alioted to each of tbe chief centres of tbe Dominion, and the contributions of the whole of the Auckland Provincial District were to become part of that portion of the fund being collected by the Mayor of Auckland. The allocation cf the Auckland Provincial District, some £6OOO, was collected almost before we in Pukekohe could make a start.

Within the ten days or thereabouts available the fund far exceeded what was required. It was decided that the balance of the fund, and all further contributions, should be devcttd to the cause, tbe claims of which Mr Koulston is urging. The answer to Mr Roulston's appeal and to your own is, then, that there is already in exitsence in Pukekohe a fund for tbe purpose mentioned; that all contributions received in Pak«kobe are from time to time forwarded to Auckland; that we aimed at collating £SOO, of which we have collected and sert £350; that I am strongly of opinion that (for many and grave riaso/H to long to enumerate) one fund for the Provincial District, under one administration, is better than a local fund in each country district beld as a sepa-Bte tris', and that whether Mr Koul.ton pays the amount of his splendid offer into the Pukekohe Hospital Ship Fund or into the Mayor's Fund in Auckland (the name of which has been changed in accordance with the I change of object) the money will resell the same plane and tbe same object be achieved. it may be proper for me further to remark that the above factß disclose a sufficient authority and definite purpose entirely to justify the - promoters ol' the forthcoming "Mock Court"; and that our using tbe proceeds of amusement for the help of our soldiers in no way implies that we fail to reslise the gravity of the hardships they have borne for us, or that their sufferings are a matter of amusement to us. To bold a burlesque to asaist tbe fund iB a different thing from "having any function assisting that fund burlepqucd.'l am, etc., ii. G. K. MASON, Mayor. Pukekohe, 17tb July, 1915.