THE WAR FUNDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 June 1915, Page 7

THE WAR FUNDS.

— ■ ■■—■ro^i .TA KA \'AK I COM 11J TTEIW CONFH R. -\ATIa\AI, l-'L'M) KAYOIiKD. A conference of representatives of ' /lalnotie committees and niavors of .towns m 'l'iiranaki was held at NtrailLloid y, stenlav, when iliere were pre,cut: Messrs ,|. K. Wilson (Mayor of Aew Plymouth], presiding (1. (Jood-icf.' (N't-w Plymouth), .1. \V. 1 (.Mayor of Stratford |, \\\ j>. Kirkiv<iu«'l (Stratford),!;. Washer (representing the Taraimki provincial executive of (he K-inn-crs- Union and I'atea). K. ISeckl,essiii"vr (Mayor of Waitaru), !■:. Dixon (Mavor ofllawera), 1.. Grimstime (Klthani), and I\. Betts (chairman of the Kanom'a Town Board). ' ' ° The chairman exiilained Unit flie meeting ],ad i mm ra ||,, (l t „ ~,',„„;,,,,,. ti „, question of the disposal of .patriotic funds, the New Plymouth committee considering that they should be foder-' atcd. He also referred to the propos-,1 recently put forward by Mr. \V.'l> L„kc (Mayor of Wellington). The New Plymouth committee favored a national fund, but it would be well'for them to como to a unanimous decision if possible before the conference at Wellington on Friday next. He thought the meeting should consider whether they t T rC J'!,. faVor of a Provincial scheme, the Wellington- military area, a national scheme, or whether they should proceed as in the past. At the same time [his opinion was that a large scheme : eon d not prove successful unless they could secure the appointment of small committees in each district with full power to assist those in their district who they knew required help without lirst gaming the permission of the central executive. If this was secured he was strongly i„ favor of the national scheme, but not otherwise. There ws a suggestion that they pay the extra ■til) premium to secure a. war risk policv I of 1200 in the case of men insured. 1 this, of course, would not be done in the ease of those who had no dependents' or on those who wore insured for £90(1 before the outbreak of the war They also proposed that those thus assisted ■should make wills giving the control of the money thus obtained into responsible hands m order to prevent its being

Mr. kirkwood proposed that the conference support a national f lm «l or tailing that the suggestion of the Mayor of Wellington. Ho did this to test the tme tne .Stratford committee fliat the care of the wounded and their <1 pendent, was a national ~n eßt im Also, some districts which had sen' away a large number of recruits might" not be able to raise sufficient money, while others that did not require so much would have more than sufficient! see W X ° n / aiJ ~e wonM n&t iik « to he WpII,W eM ? t> "" l,,it itSolf " ntil Mc Wellington conference had boon held He did not want to see the Government men any excuse for not doing the right lung, and he was afraid that when they earnt of the enormous amdunt contnhuted they might he inclined ?o cut down their-allowance, to the men. He d,.l not want to see the Government have anything to do with it at all, and .ocal committees should he given power ' to attend to local cases, hut all should i ;fall into. line. He strongly supported the provincial scheme.

.Mr. Gnmstone supported the national .scheme for the sake of securing uiiifor,mity in the allowances made. " ■ Mr Beekbessingcr supported the national fund. Mr Dixon asked if the conference did not t imk that they would get larger contributions to a provincial fund' Mr Cranstone said they certainly would. Mr Washer said he was representing the Taranaki Farmers' Union and akS the l'atea Committee, and was in a somewhat awkward position. The Farmers' Union supported the provincial fund, while the Patea Committee supported the national scheme. He, however was there, primarily, on behalf of the farmers and would support the provincial fund. Mr. Dixon proposed that no decision he arrived at until after the proposed meeting at Wellington. Mr. 'Washer seconded. 'Mr. Goodacve said they rcallv required a scheme that would satisfy'all. This appeared somewhat difficult/ lie did not wish to see the Government have anything to do with it, but the fund should be centralised, otherwise some might secure more, benefit than others. They certainly required local control. 'Mr. Betts supported the national fund. Tlie chairman supported the proposed uniformity of relief, and for that reason he was bound to support a federated fund.

Mr. Dixon pointed out that he objected to attending the Wellington conference with his hands tied. , He wished to hear what was said at that conference before arriving at :i decision. A national scheme was practically an impossibility. Auckland and Ch'ristchurch would never agree to send their funds to Wellington. Mr. Grimstone said it was unfortunate that such a parochial spirit should prevail in such a national crisis. AH the men that had left New Zealand and were injured in the defence of the Empire were equally worthy of their assistance. He would b" very sorry to believe that this was not realised throughout the country.

Mr. Dixon moved: '"' That this meeting takes no definite action, pending further information and.the holding of the Wellington conference, hut favors a national scheme of uniformity of allowances with local administration." He objected to their hands being tied in any wav. 'Mr. Washer seconded.

It was pointed out that the original resolution did not commit that conference to any particular scheme. After some further discussion, the amendment was put and lost. Mr. Dixon then moved a further amendment: "That this conference favors a national scheme, or, failing that, Ileitis practicable, the scheme of th» Alavor of AYcll:n':te,n. but that whatever scheme -honM be adopted must include administrati.-i'.i hy local control." 'MY. :!riiu--.t"ne seconded, and it -was carried am! subsequently confirmed as (he substantive motion.