PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 105, 26 September 1914, Page 8

PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

COXFEREinOE OF TAIUNAKI DELEGATES.

A conference of delegates ropi'esraiit'iing Patriotic Fund Coranudtees in Taramalii was held at Hawera on Thursday, Mr J. G. Wilson, Mayor of New Plymouth, presiding. _ There were also .present: SCesrss Kirobefll, Oonroy and llow.ett (representing Hawera),' (Ihiivcrs (Okaiawa), Butts and Allen (Raponga), Grainger and Strouts fPailoa). and IQrkwood (Mratfoid).

Mr Oomnoy reported) briefly as fro the result of the deputation wluch recently! interviewed tihe Premier hi Wellington and the distinction between the two funds suggested, viz., the Regimentall and the General Dominion Funds. Tlie oil-' ject of the Regimental Fund tin far, for instance, as the Taiareiki men were concerned, was to provide a fand available at Itiho base, and Wii/j was considered by tlie officurs as an absolutely essential fund. The Manawatu) Oommitte.a suggested that thin should be. «aH;ula.ted at ft per man, but the Wellington conference considered 2(>s per ma.ni would ba amip"e. The Dominion Fund was proposed to be placed under the control of a civilians' commi!<tee in London, to ho, availabfc to .moot special or extraordinary cases.

Mr Kirkwood said hl e committee were in favor of the Dominion sehonie only arc! not itlie Regimental Fund,, llheV Jonsitli-red that the .men duivng (fanspOrt and ivndor normal condition* would be adequately provided for by the (iovcmtment, 'but a fund was o*wnltial from whk-.li a .man taken iiil in Loudou- or who hud been wounded and desired to return home could draw upon. Tlie chairman remarked that General Godtley had impressed upon Hhran how essential i't was to provide a Regimental Fund available, at the base. lie. was an officer wJu> lhad had' a great deal of experience and 'whose o;>iiiioii could be accepted. If the men went into training at Aldorshot there were Ukmml to be ] little extra rcifuironvents cropping up which were not provided f«r iu the camp routine and New Zealamkis would ttfteiß require a little extra attention n'hkili sliould bo availabito for Ohem ivhe-n necessary or desirable. Mr Kinilboll mentioned the Company

Fund, which was quite apart from t'he two sdhomes- uwfor discussion, an<l to wliich many districts had subscribed. Tamnaki liad sent away 572 men, for w<lw>m the comimiltteos wore now asked to provide £l7oo as* a Kegimental Fund. This aneant £3 10s' per man, which wtw a big item on top of the £4 ,per man tJiey wnr.: to be called on for the Do-

miraion Fund: Tlic lowest pay any oi t)hc mtn received was 4-> pcir day in addition to .thair .keep, and <thitj>»liauld be ample for simple mien under normal; conditions. They had to remember, however, that some of tilie members of tlie f«rce had! wives and families to provide for out of this pay. The district . would do it 3 dulty by these men; the ' omly question to 'b9 decided was what : was a fniir basis on which to provide a fund. Peiyonailfly Hie thought ttio suggested basis was too much. _

i The chairman .tiri'd that in New Ply- ; mouth they had already snl*«ribcd and sent t'o the Ibvernmicnt f 1250, snul they had about £IOOO in band in addition, ivhwh was Ibeinfj reserved for n distrain fund. If our men ">ot into action tliero | were liound to bo lives lo?l. ami consequently someone would be deprived of some of their uhuth of support. The money now in hand would be reserved for «m'.h casoa Tlie iNew Plymouth people had tlhat the (JorurmivHnt should make proper provision for the requirements of the men in London or nt tine; front, and that l>y ineaiirct of a special war JcTy everyone in Viva Donvmion rfhontid contribute towards it. They felt that Tairamafci ww twin 1 * dragooned 'to a certain extent lit tih,e >ffi«ir* In some of the wealthy provinces every suggestion made was a*qiiie.seod in and the money wy liberal]" (subscribed, and it was thou pointed out to Tara.na.ki wlvit places like IWuimrapa luuV done aiul urged that Tarninaki should come into line. Any reso-luition-l passed: by tin; present conference pJIronM be by way of recommendations to the various l committees. Mr Kinibell then -moved that it Viz a n'cconimoiiilatioii fnom tin; Tlawera conference of delegates that a .-urn of £1 per man be iti'ovidrd! for u Taranaki liegimt'iital Fund, and that if possible 10s per nan lie provided towards a Dominium Fund, provided the <'iovom»ni'Pi(t I subsidised A', latter fund to a like I a.r.iount.

Mr (M-aimje.r mo ; nll,r,r out the difficiiKv in regard to the artillery and aniliii'la.nce corps, who were drawn fnim nil ovnr the eolnm-v, and Trluc eouse,<ttipniblv (Sid not participate in any particular I?<-«iniontal Fund. The chairman agreed. mel some portion of the fund should, be, Ret aside for them. Mr Kimbett &iid it wns des ; red that all Taranafci men in eftihe.r Uie. artillery or ainlinihnce RltouM bo irftfludckl and part'ciipate in this fund. The motion was se.eo.nded 'by 'Mr Kinkwood pro forma an;l <Mri'iedj—Star.