PATRIOTIC FUNDS QUESTION

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 16 August 1917, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUNDS QUESTION

the Editor) Sir, —Your report of the meeting of. the Taihape and District Patriotic Society, publishemm Tuesday’s issd, cannot be comment. Your representative, who attended the meeting in' the dual capacity of reporter and member of the Committee, seems to have set out with the singular purpose of discrediting certain of the members of the committee in the eyes of your readers, in general and of returned soldiers in particular. No other construction can *be placed on his action in rendering, such a one sided report of the proceedings, and in resorting to the un- s usual practice of reporting how the various members of the Committee voted on one of the subjects under discussion. When your readersare in possession of the whole of thecircumstances, I venture to say that it is not those members of the Committee at whom the shaft of your report is aimed w r ho will have occasion to deplore the publication of the voting list. The subject in question was-t-hat of a letter received from t&ejoint secretaries of the Returned £3oU~ diers’ Ball Committee asking for a grant from the “Incidental Fund” of the Patriotic‘Society towards the expenses of the ball, I might explain, that the “Incidental Puncf; came intoexistence as the result of . a surplus, from collections made ,at the numer* ous functions held. for the purpose of farewelling recruits on the eve of their departure for camp. A collection was made at each of these functionsto defray the expenses, incidental t& each gathering. Fortunately, the rereceipts in the aggregate exceeded the expenditure, and the surplus was at the disposal of the Patriotic Committee to use for such, purposes as it deemed advisable, and in no sense was the Committee under any obligation, either expressed or implied, to earmark the revenue derived in this, manner for entertaining either departing or returning soldiers. The Committee decided toiusethe money so raised for the establishment of an. “Incidental Fund,” and to pay from it the incidental expenses of the Society, such as advertising, stationery,, etc., so that there would be no necessity to encroach on the main fund which was collected for the relief of

invalided soldiers and of soldiers’ dependants. It is obvious that if the money standing to the credit of the “Incidental Fund” were handed over, as requested, to the Ball Committee, it would become necessary to use the money in the General Fund to pay incidental expenses. Those: members of the Committee who voted against the proposal are desirous, ashing as possible, of reserving the General Fund exclusively for thepurpose for which it was collected, the chief objects being to assist thoseunfortunate men who return broken in health and without means, and tohelp the dependents of those who make the supreme sacrifice in the Empire’s cause. I have too high an opinion of the returned soldiers to think for a moment that they support the opinion expressed by Mr. Munro at the meeting in question when he said that “the Taihape Patriotic Committee had nothing to be' proud of in connection with its treatment of returned men.” The committeehas never, claimed to be “proud” of it’s work, but is perfectly willing to leave its reputation in that connection in the hands of the men themselves. It is worthy of remark that your report fails to record the fact that the whale explanation as to why the application was declined and which I have occup-. ied so much of your valuable space in an endeavour, to make clear, was furnished by the chairman and other members at the meeting. Probably had not so much of your report been devoted to relating what one particular member of the committee had to say, there might have been room to have recorded both sides of the question and your readers would ha-ve had a better opportunity of judging of the true merits of the case. In conclusion I would like to stress this point: Every shilling in the hands of the Society will be sadly needed for urgent cases of relief. We can see clearly that strong appeals for further funds will be necessary in. the near future. Under these circumstances, and more especially in view of the fact that the Returned Soldiers’ Ball is already an assured financial success,Jet me ask your readers whether or not. The Patriotic Committee has in this instance justified the trust reposed. in it by the donors of the patriotic funds, by seeing that the money is used for. thosepurposes for which it was raised. I sincerely trust the ball will be a great success. In fact I am certain that this is already assured both financially and socially, I am sorry I have occupied so much of your valuable sir, but I do hope I hay?, succeeded In removing any misconceijfipn, regarding the attitude of the of the

committefcCwhbsd Votes resulted in sav''ying for the war.sick lads who vill later be returning in hundreds, a sum of money contributed for their relief.- I am, etc., ART-SUB JAMES. . Chairman Returned Soldiers ’ SubCommittee s of the Taihape and |L District Patriotic Society. Taihape,