HELP FOR SOLDIERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 255, 20 June 1932, Page 7

HELP FOR SOLDIERS

THOUSAND EACH MONTH GIVEN FROM CANTEEN FUND. EXPLANATION BY JPRESIDEN^. A question that is causing -much controversial feeling among the returned soldiers of the Dominion. was discussed at the annual meeting of the Wellington Rcturned Soldiers' Association (says the Dominion), when it was mentioned that the Canteen Trust Funds Board had made substantial grants to the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, "for which it was deeply grateful." The president of the association, Lieutenant-Colorel H. E. Avery, said that the. board had been and was being attacked for not spending more. on relief during the present time of widespread distress. He wishe'd to point out, however, that for. the year ended March 31, 1932, the board had provided £16,192, which was £5000 in excess of its annual revenue. The principal of the funds, proceeded Lieutenant-Colonel Avery, was on- * ly £200,000, and if anyone could tell him that the funds could be better spent than by using the interest, as was being done, at the rate of £1000 a month, well, he had something new to learn. Effiect of Distribution. The tendency at the moment was to demand that capital funds be distributed, but, carried out fully, that would mean about 6s 8d apiece fo1* each of those entitled to benefit. The position in New Zealand was that tb various patriotie funds were steadily coming to an end, and when they were finished the canteen funds would be the only money supply on which returned men could draw; therefore the board wished asfar as possible to keep the principal intact. Mr. J. Shand, former vice-president, said that the canteen funds had be~ collected by the Diggers and for f Diggers. Fourteen years ago, when he had taken part in selling canteen goods to the men on the home-eoming troopship he had been told that the funds were for their benefit. If ever tfiere was a time in New Zealand when the funds could be entrenched upon — not dissipated — that time was the present. The occasion called fr far more liberality. The Kaitangata coal mine fund provided an example of the results of holding on to such moneys. That fund had been established for the benefit of people who were now dead, yet it was still in existence. He suggested that the gra--might be increased to £2000 a month. Remits Favour Increase Mr. W. Perry, vice-president of the New Zealand R.S.A., said the question was to come before the annual conference of the Dominion organisation. A number of remits favouring an increase in the outlay already had been received. He asked the meeting to remember, however, that, had it not been for the policy of the board in 1918 and 1919, when a move for a holus-bolus distribution had been resisted, the funds would not be in existence to-day. Nevertheless, he hoped that if it were found possible + distribute more this would be done.