WAR FUNDS SHOULD BE POOLED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 244, 5 July 1915, Page 3

WAR FUNDS SHOULD BE POOLED.

WOUNDED AT THE FUONT. "NO MONEY SENT TO MS." "CANNOT UNDERSTAND WlilV At it meeting of the general conir>:;'<tee of the Auckland Provincial Hospital Ship Fund and War Relief Association further light was thrown upon (lie intentions of the Government in regard to the care of the wounded by a long letter receievd from the Minister for Defence (the Hon. James Allen). In it the Minister suggests that it would he a magnificent function for the various patriotic funds to undertake the task of relieving and finding employment fur men discharged from the army. Mr. Allen deprecates private enterprise Si; assisting the wounded in the various hospitals abroad and urges that money for the wounded should be placed v.i

the disposal of the Defence Department. The letter was merely "received" without comment. In the course of a subsequent discussion on a motion to amalgamate the wounded fund with the patriotic fund, however, the Mayor (Mr. J. 71. Gunson) staled that the feeling of the committee was against joining the Auckland funds with those of other centres. The letter was as follows:

"The Defence and Hospital authorities will deal with all convalescent cases, supplying the necessities, but patriotic societies, and generous people could, if they so desire, supply comforts beyond these necessities, which would certainly be ranch appreciated. There is also work available for the patriotic societies with respect to men who may come buck and who cannot at once find employment. It would be a mognifiwork for the patriotic societies to do to try and place these men in employment and to give them whatever assistance would be right and fair until they do find employment. I am referring more particularly to men who are discharged from the New Zealand army, and whose pay would cease on their discharge. There are other very difficult cases to deal with —of men returned sick and wounded who have been discharged iv Egypt, or immediately on arrival in Xew Zealand. Some of these men. perhaps many of them, have become unfit owing to their own fault or their own neglect. The Department does not propose to provide for such, but. It would be only fair, in my opimin. for people in the locality who may knov. about them to take such eases into consideration and help them either to e ; .-1 employment or ass : st them until thev are in a condition to do so. "With regard to pensions, as I have already said, Parliament will be aske ■■'■■ to amend the law and make it ro.ore liberal, but, in addition to what mav be provided by any law tlirt may be i ."s--ed. it seems to me that theie is a nrM-vv of work available for the pgtriork'. [ so cieiies to keep in touch with those to whom pensions are allotted, rud. i:i :.:- divider] eases, to a:-:- ; st (hem beyi-ed what the Ptste prov'des. POLLING THE FUND-:. "In my own opinion this <•■■•']'! ]■.■•■' 1)0 done by nationalising the funds ar.d

by the establishment of local committees, who would pcrsoally themselves keep in touch with these eases, antl decide as to what assistance should be given and draw from lie national fund the amounts required. "Dealing with comforts for the e;el< and wounded, I have over and over again stated that I am prepared to receive money for the sick and wounded in Egypt, Malta, or England, and to send it to one of other of these places as the demand arose. Not any large amount of money has so far been subscribed for this purpose and sent to -, as -Minister for Defence, and I cannot understand why. I am getting in close touch with Egypt and England, and as close as I can to Malta, and have asked those in authority to advise me when they need* more funds for comforts for the sick and wounded. Money has already been sent to them, and I await report as to the expenditure of it and as to the necessity for more to be forwarded. If the public do not supply me with any funds for this purpose, I shall very much regret it, and I desire most emphatically to say that I do not think that applications from individuals —either clergy or anybody else —if met by sending money to them from Now Zealand, can as efficiently deal with the comforts for \hc sick and wounded, a cat to red as they are, t!> rough numerous hospitals in Egypt, Malta, and in England, as can be done through the Defence Department itself. TRUST THE DEPARTMENT. "I am aware that certain clergy have written and asked for funds, but that is for their own particular needs, and it does not moot the general demand. I am also aware that Lady Godley wrote for funds, probably before she knew that the Government had decided to pay the full cost of the convalescent home in Alexandria, and that the Government is doing now. I think you, as a business man, will realise that assistance is best provided through organised channels than through the medium of several and varied individuals. Finally, may I suggest to the executive of your patriotic society, that it is far wiser for them to place at the disposal of the Defence Department money for the sick and wounded than to send privately.—JAMES ALLEN.