The Taihape Daily Times FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1915. PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 348, 3 December 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1915. PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

(With which is incorporated The Taihape Post and Waimarino News.)

It, is regrettable that the whole of the Dominion would not see its way clear to bring all war funds, no matter for what aspect of the war, and its consequences they were raised, under the “War Funds Act.” As a matter of fact, the personnel of the National War Funds Council indicates that all New Zealand, with the exception of the district operated over by Auckland has done so. Why there should be a spirit in Auckland antagonistic to the rest of the Dominion has never been made clear, nevertheless, that there is a general determination to disagree in this as well as in other questions in the past is a noteworthy fact, A spirit of little Englandism seems to pervade the people of the city of gold, gum and timber to such an extent that, judging from past utterances, one need not be surprised if they ask to be allowed to cut the painter and establish a little kingdom of their own. Auckland has acquired a habit somewhat akin to that of the unkempt, dirty, disagreeable boy, occasionally found in the playground of public schools, who, if he cannot rule the roost and have the game just his own way, draws his arm across his face and snarls, “I shan’t play.” It is a pity that the whole Dominion will not fall into line in purely national or quasi-national matters such as the War Fund Act has been enacted to cover. However, Auckland has determined to have its little War Fund business all to itself, and realising this the trouble will be to prevent overlapping, and neglect when the intricacies of disbursement are met with. From a manifesto issued by the Minister who has charge of the War Funds, it appears that the various patriotic committees can retain full control of their disbursements. It s trustees will make recommendations to the National Council, and local Advisory Commit tees are to be made largely responsible for administration. These committees, on which ladies would have some representation would gather information. and make recommendations thereon. The National Council would act [ as trustees of the fund, to see that, the 'money is invested and so as to make it immediately revenue producing, and consequently to prevent, vr-w.vm hr leaving large sums uninvested. The object being to assist in every way possible our sick and wounded soldiers and to compensate them for the great sacrifice they Hi are made for home and Empire. The local Advisory Cow-rit tees mode of working arc best ioh'

in the Minister's own words. He says: The Committee in the district would meet from time to time to consider their expenditure, and to allot the money which they considered desirable should be devoted to each recipient. Proper forms of expenditure would be prepared and supplied by the Government and upon these would be stated the full name, regimental number, and rank of each recipient, and the namPs of his dependents who were assisted by each committee. These would be signed by the President of the Local Committee and forwarded to the Executive. The Executive would remit these requisitions to the War Funds

Council and the Council would send a consolidated cheque for the monthly payment for that district to the President of the Executive, who would hand to local committees the sums that they had requisitioned for. Under this scheme the cost would be reduced to a minimum. The central department would assume entire, responsibility of forwarding on the lists of recipients to all other patriotic committees with a view to prevent overlapping, and so that could not go from district to district collecting mcney outside their own locality. The whole work of enquiring about cases would be sympathetically done by residents with local knowledge of persons applying their position and circumstances. It is important to note that “each district will retain full and absolute control of its own expenditure, the Council merely laying down the general lines so as 10 secure, as far as possible, uniformity throughout the country. Where districts, cn account of financial weak-, ness, are unable to raise large sums for patriotic purposes, soldiers in these localities will be recognised by a general scheme, so that no man who has served the country will go without the assistance to which he is reasonably entitled. The object aimed at by Parliament is to see that no one entitled goes unprovided for, and that the administration of the fund shall be practically without expense so that the whe'e, with what revenue it earns from Investment, may be devoted to the purpose for which it was raised.