TAIHAPE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 4 May 1917, Page 5

TAIHAPE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY

The adjourned annual meeting of the Taihape and District Patriotic Society was held last night, when a thoroughly representative attendance was present. His Worship the Mayor (Mr A. L. Ar-row-smith') occupied the chair.

The minutes of the last annual meeting were read and confirmed. The annual report was read as follows :

It will perhaps be remembered that a Patriotic Comittee with power to add to its members was elected at a public meeeting held so long ago as August 13, 1914. The personnel of that Committee has, broadly speaking, remained the same down to the present time. At first there was very little for the Society to do, as the Carnival, which produced the major portion of its funds, was mainly run by the candidates committees. As time went on, however, applications of all sorts were received for assistance or relief. It was found that in some deserving cases, assistance could not be given owing to it being at least doubtful, whether such assistance came within the objects for which the funds were collected. The Society obtained its certificate of Incorporation early in September last. During the period under review, the Society has received 57 applications for assistance. Of these aplications two were by soldiers before leaving the Dominion, 44 by returned or wounded soldiers, and 11 by the dependents of soldiers. The Committees has closely investigated all cases, and has in each case acted on the evidence it was able to obtain. In all, 43 cases have been assisted at a cost of £521 5/6, while assistance has been refused in 14 cases. In addition to these payments the Committee in common with the other Patriotic Societies of the Dominion made for some months a monthly payment of £25 to the War Contingent Association, and have agreed to give £25 per month to the Y.M.C.A. to a&sist our wounded at the front. An increasingly large amount of work and correspondence is involved in these investigations, and the Secretary to the Society must not only possess the ordinary' qualifications, but must be in a position ■to attend to applicants at all hours. Your Committee therfore ; recommends that the office be a paid one. The present secretary, Mr. Deacon, has acted in that capacity since the last secretary, Mr Murrell, went into ; feamp, and neither of these gentlemen received jgj would accept payment for their services. The thanks of the Society are due to them for their gratuitous services. Mr Deacon cannot continue to carry on the work, and for the reasons before stated your Committe thinks that the time has arrived when a salary should be paid. It is pleasing to note that the expenses of the Committee since the start of the Society do not exceed £33 2/4, and this sum is chiefly for stationary and advertising. The funds of the Socicty not ime-diately required are invested on fixed deposit with the local banks. The rate of interest so obtained is not high, but your Committee thinks it unadvisable to lock up its funds for such a period as would enable it' to. earn a higher rate. Your Committee is of the opinion that it is necessary that a proper understanding should be arrived at with Ohakune in particular, and with the places further north. It was understood, at the time the Carnival was held that from Ohakune to Owhango would join with Taihape, forming one large and strong district for patriotic purposes. This understanding appears to have been without foundation, as Ohakune, after subscribing between £7OO and £BOO to the Taihape Fund became incorporated and retains funds in its own hands while frequently applying to this Society for relief. Such a position is absurd. As to the towns further north this Society has received from them in the aggregate a sum of not exceeding £4OO. Your Committee recommends that steps be taken either to bring about complete amalgamation of the Ohakune Society with this Society, or to define the districts in which the respective societies shall hereinafter operate. As a final word your Committee wishes to point out that the work of the Society is such, that every noncombatant member of the community should make it his or her business to be a member of the Society, ami to take an active part in its operations. An analysis of the attendance at meetings of the Committee, shows that the work largely falls on the same members. Any person becomes a member on payment of 5/- to a War Fund. Further it must | be remembered, that after the peace, on j the Allies terms, for which we all hope, \ the work of the Society will continue ; for many years. The balance-sheet attached is satisfactory, speaks for itself, and requires no comment by your Com- | mittce.

The balance sheets of the various funds were then read. The Wounded and Returned Soldiers' and Dependents' Fund to 31 March, 1917, showed receipts to be £12,504 16s 2d. Disbursements were: Y.M.C.A. £275: War Contingent Fund £150; Anzac Club £2O: Payments to returned soldiers £304 1/0: Payments to dependents of soldiers, £217 4s; 'Advertising, etc., £3 2s 3d: Money on fixed deposit. £11.535 Ss 3d. Total £12.504 16s 2d. The report and balance-sheet w?.? adopted without, discussion. The election of officers for the ensuing year was then proceeded with. Mr A. L. Arrow-smith was unanimously elected chairman. Mr ATrowsmith

thanked the meeting for the confidence r?P°3ed in him, and apparently in the" Committee. He had plenty to do. Ho had been tol d that lie was too oh} t Q t * m " J,( was determined to do whatever he could. Cvervoue who was t°° old to go t 0 thc frout plenty t o do, and «] lo „ih „ u ,i Posdbly could. (A,!, hi? Z Un the question of the -\m -, >-" ■■•, le £ of a secretary, Uv McLauHd-u'voicea a suggestion that if possiblMK, sition should be offered to a retur , '• jcitu i.ed soldier, and he had no doubt that a soldie* with clerical knowledge could be obtain, ed.

Mr Arrowsmith said that aspect of the question had been taken into consideration by the Committe. The small remuneration suggested—£7s a year—« was not sufficient to enable a returned! soldier to live. The successful operation: of the Society was in a very large meas-t ure dependent on the man they appoint* ed as Secretary, who must, in his opinion be a judge of character, and of a judicial mind.

Mr Arthur James said the question; of appointing a returned soldier had appealed to every member of the Committee. If they invited applications ■for the position, they would receive, probably, several, which would be narrowed down to two or three, who would have to come before the! Committee to have their qualifications considered.This would entail them making a journey to do so, and the salary offered was not worth the trouble. It was not, in his opinion, necessary to have a man with a judical mind for the but it was essential that the man appointed to the secretaryship should have an intimate knowledge of local conditions. Extreme care must be taken in appointing a secretary, as a very great deal depended on that official. Mr J. P. Aldridge proposed that Mn Drayton be appointed secretary at a salary of £75 per annum. That gentleman, he was quite sure, had ail tho necessary qualifications and knowledge to fill the position most satisfa< tory.

Mr J. Evans seconded the motion, and in doing so said Mr Drayton had al ways! taken a deep interest in patriotic matters, and would doubtless be making something of a sacrifice if he took up the position. .. The motion was put to the meeting, and. carried unanimously,, ~ At -the motion of Mr ArrowSniith. Ml* Deacon was appointed treasurer, tha mover making eulogistic references to Mr Deacon's services in patriotic matters. The motion was carried with acclamation. \\ On the question of elee'ting a Committee for the ensuing year coming up, MrArrowsmith said he though it would be a graceful and fitting thing to re-elect the members of the old committee in a body. This idea was most cordially received, and the following members of the old Committee were re-elected:— < Messrs Aldridge, Bray, W. Dixon, A. James, W. J. H. MeCormick, W. McLennan, D. Neagle, S. Powell, E. W. Spooner, and G. Wrightson. In addition, the following new members were added: Messrs A. E, Fannin, J. F. Thurston, K.A. Davies, E. McLaughlan, J. Fookes, P. E. "VVakenian, J. Evans, G. F. Shanley, W.J. Munro, H. D.vßond, and E. The date of meeting was fixed for the second Monday in the month. The Mayor, in saying that he could receive no further nominations, remarked he would like any man who wanted to help to eome to the Secretary, and sayr ' T want to go on this Committee, and do some work." That was the spirit he would like to see. (Applause.)

Mr E. W. Smith moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman. He was astounded at the amount of work that had been done as disclosed by the report that had been laid before them that evening. If anyone had any criticism to offer they should make it here. Many people were too apt to listen to the complaints of returned soldiers with, regard to the administration of the funds. His own experience had proved that the Patriotic Committee's decision, in making grants was invariably sound and sympathetic. Before people made complaints as to the treatment of returned soldiers they should first consult the Committee. There was a certain class who were doing the cause of returned soldiers real harm.

Mr Arrowsmith, in returning thanks en behalf of the Returned Soldiers' Committee, said the hitter had borne the lion's share of the work. They were quite willing to do everything possible for returned soldiers. Men absolutely stranded had come into his office, and made statements, which upon investigation, had been found to be quite untrue; in fact, in his opinion, some men were travelling on the game. In his experience, the really deserving man would rather hide his trouble. The meeting and the public could rely that every case which came before the Committee would have a sympathetic hearing, and be decided on its merits. A vote of thanks to the Chair terminated the meeting.