THE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 April 1918, Page 4

THE PATRIOTIC SOCIETY.

The anaul general meeting of the Taihape District Patriotic Society, we understand, is to be held on next Monday evening, at which contributors and the public generally are urged to be present. The annual report and statement of accounts will be presented for the information of those attending, and a ifew oGmmittee will probably be elected. There is, or shouic be, very little room for comment of anything but a laudatoTy character. The people of this district have surpassed in generosity most other communities in the Dominion; they have built up a fairly large fund to be used for patriotic services, not the least or which is to assist the men who return to us from fhe war. The public elected a Committee as an executive to administer tAe fund; pleading business and professional men have given their time to an extent that must have caus, ed some neglect of tlTeTr own affairs, but’ they have ungrudgingly given the dine required, and they have administered the fund and performed the honorary duties involved diligently and impartially. It is as well that we should bear in mind on Monday night the origin, nature and aim of the main body of generous people who created the fund. Should there be any differences of opinion of an extreme or serious character, it is most likely they will be tempered . and more.-easily disposed of by keeping in mind-the constitution of the fund itself. It is a fund created by the. people for patriotic purposes; those people appointed an executive to administer rthu fund perfectly injacordah.ee with the inherent right they have to do as they please with their own. and ifwould be nothing short of presumption to entake from the.donors that persumptive right. Not that they did not-freely and entirely part with what they generously gave, but it would be contrary to common-sense to suggest that they made a free gift to any limited section. The fund was undoubtedly created to be administered publicly by those appointed or elected by the public in the interest of, and to assist all soldiers and for some other patriotic purposes. ' That the present administrators have given a lot of valuable time and bave performed very excellent work there can be no serious question arising. If there are those who have occasion to think otherwise we trust they will be present on Monday evening,! so that the affairs of the Society may be so thoroughly ventilated as to leave no room for future cavil of complaint.