The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1916. PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES’ CONFERENCE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 74, 27 March 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, MARCH 27, 1916. PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES’ CONFERENCE.

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

. From the report of the conference of Patriotic Society Delegate’s, it is not quit© clear that the importance of the business presented and transacted warranted the time and expenditure of holding such a meeting. The impression we gained on reading the report we are going to give to our readers without any garnishings. Two delegates were elected to the Advisory Board in Wellington, that gives the whole of the country one representative only on this Board. This we cannot help thinking was already cut and dried between Wellington delegates for Mr. J. P. Luke proposed and Davie McLaren seconded that one Wellington and one country representative be elected. Two from the country were proposed, but the proposition does not appear to have qualified for consideration. The great stress laid by the Wellington Advisory Board Delegate cn the importance of preventing exploitation of the Pa-

triotic Societies funds “smacked” a litt'e of the feeler stage of a desire to get entire control of funds by the Board; but Mr. Mac Lean shook the stiffness out of it by saying frankly what most people will endorse, “that it is better to be exploited half-a-dozen times than to miss one genuine case.” The proposal for amalgamation was certainly worth considering, but we earnestly hope that our Patriotic Committee will agree to no steps that involve the loss of control of the funds the people of this district have contributed, chiefly for the purpose of ensuring that, men who nave enlisted from this district, or their dependents, shall not go uncared for. It should not be forgotten that it is the general Government’s first duty to see that no soldier shall lose (he right h e has to receive the means of living on his return. It is because v/e know the Government pensions or ether allowances will fall far short of what is humanely necessary in many, if not all but isolated cases, that the local fund has been so generously contrlbuted ) anq we ask our people to seriously consider any proposal for amalgamation tentatively involving monetary control under the plea of avoiding exploitation, and not to silently permit the control of the money to go into the hands of a Board that will have no more thought for their sons than they will for those men from the most distant parts. We do not say, even, that this is not as it should be, but as tco often happens virtuous theorising frequently proves entirely unreliable in practice., This pooling of all patriotic funds would be a blun-

der that would work out unsatisfactorily; the local committee may act as advisers in all, or questionable cases,

but will their advice be followed? We have our sons, brothers and friends

remain with them for the rest of their days. The patriotic fund is established to end the hellish infliction 'at the

earliest moment, and there should be no chance of any miscarriage of our intentions, which there certainly must be if the money is sent away from wher e it was given to be doled out by those “who know not Joseph.” There are men who favour pooling all funds for the sake of preventing overlapping, and to economise in administration, who have the best intentions, but there is a virtue in Mr. MacLe'an’s contention that no one who has the care of our returned men at heart, can overlook. Mr. Mac Lean realises that proposals were made at the meeting that dn practice might be mischievous and leave the pain and suffering N of many brave fellows to go unassu'aged and uncared for, and rather than permit one such cose he says it is better that the funds should be exp’oited half-a-dozen times. It m'w be said that no prouosal was made at the meeting to giye absolute control nf moneys to anv one established body, truly, but there were indications that such n nronosal might have been in the m’nds of some present. The Government should be allowed to give its elusions and other allowances in p chorda nee with the rigid, laws and , regulations matm tko Wirvnov Jipro jc< rst.Onsiblv f.Q pn lfiTiinnl; inf>der'r , rr)j>kn rmiditv nf Government regulations exclude most deserving - cases or cause distressing hardship.