PATRIOTIC FUND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 34, 26 September 1914, Page 3

PATRIOTIC FUND.

A conference of delegates representing Patriotic Fund Committees m Taranaki centres, was held at Hiv.era on Thursday, Mr J. G. Wilson, Mayor of New Plymouth, presiding. ’lhe-e wore also present: Messis Kimoell, Conroy and Hewlett (representing Hqwera), Chivers (Okaiawa), Belts and Allen (Kaponga), Grainger and Strouts (Patea), and W. I*. Kirkwood (Stratford).

Mr Conroy reported as to the result of the deputation which recently interviewed the Premier in Wellington and the distinction between the two funds sugested viz., the Regimental and the General Dominion Funds. The object of the Regimental Fmid so far, for instance, as tho Tarauaia men wore concerned, was to provide a fund available at the base, and this was considered by the officers as an absolutely essential fund. The Manawatu Committee suggested that this should bo calculated at £1 per man, but the Wellington conference considered 20s per man would be ample.

Mr Kirkwood said his commit lee were in favour of the Dominion scheme only, and not the Regimental bund. They considered that the men deling transport and under normal conditions would be adequately provided for by the Government, but a fund was essential from which a man taken ill in London or who had noon wounded and desired to return nome could draw upon. The chairman said that in N'ew Plymouth they had ‘already subscribed and sent to the Government C'l2oO. and they had about £IOOO in hand in addition, which was beiig reserved for a distress fund. If our men got into action there were bound to lie lives lost, and consequently someone would be deprived of some of their means of support. The money now in hand would he reserved for such cases. The New Plymouth people held that the Government should make proper provision for the requirements of the men in London or at the front, and that by means of a special war levy everyone in the Dominion should contribute towards it. Mr Kimboll then moved that it be a recommendation from the Hawara conference of delegates that a sum of £1 per man be provided for a Taranaki Regimental Fund, and that if possible 10s per man be provided towards a Dominion Fund, provided the Government subscribed tho latter fund to a like amount. This was seconded pro forma by Mr Kirkwood (who, however, spoke and voted against the motion) and carried.

It might be mentioned that o far Major Bellringer has promoted a Company Fund to which dready Stratford has i contributed £65, representing one pound per man sent from the Stratford district. As distinguished from the Company Fund there is another fund which has been promoted known as “The Regimental Fund,” and that fund would c-"'er funds for the different regiments throughput the Dominion. There is again a further fund which it j as been suggested should be promoted known as “The Dominion Fund.” The suggestion came from Manawatu, and from that fund it is proposed to raise four pounds per man of all the men on service throughout the Dominion. That fund would bo under the control of a civilian appointed by the Government. With regard to the appointment of a civilian, Stratford made the suggestion that the person having the control of that Fund should be the High Commissioner in London. The object of that Fund would be fo provide money for soldiers wounded or in distress, and would be provided by the person appointed to have charge of it on demand by the different officers in charge of troops. It w r as suggested by the deputation who waited upon the Government in Wellington recently that out of the Dominihn Fund ten shillings per man should be paid into the Regimental Fund at once, and that further sums should be paid into the Regimental Fund if necessary. Tl , a,t suggestr n however, has ne yet been brought into being.