PATRIOTIC FUNDS QUESTION.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 20 August 1917, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUNDS QUESTION.

(To the Editor) gi r> —As I was one of the members of the Patriotic Society who voted for the granting of £lO from the “Entertainment Fund’ ’ towards welcomingReturned Soldiers at the late ball, I feel compelled to reply to Mr. James r letter which appeared in Thursday's issue of your paper. Mr. James appears to hav e a grievance against your reporter on account of his having given a one-sided report of certain proceedings which took place at the last meeting of the Patriotic Society, and if Mr. James had confined his remarks to the one-sidedness of the report I sh(Wld not have had anything to abouTit as I expect Mr. Munro .is Well able to defend himself. But in his letteV" Mr, James hinted that those who voted for -

the grant to the soldiers would meet > •with some great calamity and so would have occasion to deplore the publication of the voting list. It is because he mentioned this matter that I am replying to his M '■ter. I would like to remind Mr. James that those members ’ nf the Cdinmittoe were in favour giving a lifcle~ assistance to the Returned Soldiers did not vote for the handing over of all the money standing to the credit of the Entertainment Fund; that they have the welfare of the Returned Soldiers just as much at heart; that they are as desirous to have the various funds used for th e proper purposes; that they have as good an opinion of the Returned Soldiers, and that they arc just as wiling and anxious to help our sick and • w ounded lads as any other member of the committee, or of the Society*. Further, I would like to explain that during the discussion on the treatment of returned soldiers by the Patriotic Society the general treatment of the soldiers at the hands of the Society was not questioned at all. The discussion was solely, as far as I can remember, about the matter of entertaining and welcoming them on their return, and it was held by the minority that the coming ball presented a splendid opportunity for

the Patriotic Society to give some as_4*istance towards the entertainment, of the men and to be officially represented at the ball. In conclusion, I wish to say, sir, that I firmly believe that this little difference of opinion which is being ventilated in your columns will again cause the people of Taihape and District to take a keen interest in Patriotic matters. —I am., etc., JAS, F. THURSTON