STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD.

ANNUAL, MEETING OF THIS I'ATKIOTIC COMMITTEE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Saturday. The annual meeting of the Patriotic Committee was held in the Town Hall this afternoon. His Worship the Mayor was in the chair. His Worship said the principal business of the meeting was to provide a central committee, The report and 'balance-sheet were taken as read. Mr. W. P. Ki ' -vood, chairman of the 'Patriotic Coinmii.ce, in moving the adoption, said that since the committee were appointed twelve months ago events had changed somewhat, and it was thought advisable to give the public an opportunity of electing a new committee, if they thought The keynote of the meeting should be unity. As far as the. committee were concerned they would not mind if they Kf.ra effaced altogether, as it was desirable to get the best men possible for the position. It was thought that county members should be on the general committee. As to their resources, all wanted to find out what they were, and work to attain that object. The committee had not had a rosy time, because they had been the buffer between the public and the citizen army. The committee had its duty to perform, and had certainly a grander duly in the future. The sick and wounded fund was one of the funds that required absolute unity. If this fund was properly organised it would be one of the finest recruiting grounds possible. The constitution as to the national fund and the Wellington military district was one and the same. The whole of the efforts throughout the dominion would be dovetailed and each work with the other, but if there was any splitting up, it meant that the sick and wounded fund would surely suffer. In conclusion he paid a tribute to Lieut.j Ct.luiiel Malone and those who had fallen in tlie war.

Mr. T. H. Penn, in seconding, said that as treasurer lie wanted to thank those who had so liberally provided the committee with funds. There were many things to he considered for the future. Mr. E. Jackson said it was suggested at the first meeting that the sub-com-mittees would be called together throughout the year, but this had not been done. Mr. Kirkwood: The sub-committees would have been called together had there been occasion to do so. Mr. (leorgc Smart asked for information re an item in Hie balance-sheet of ;Ci ss, expenses of delegate to Wellington. Mr. Role said ii seemed "tin pot'' fo put the present position before (he meeting. Dr. Paget: Tt is most unfair, lifter the work the secretary has gone to, to bring any feeling info the matter. Mr. Dingle said he regretted the tone of (he meeting. It was quite righl that the question should be a-ked and finswpred. but after that it should be finished with. One matter he considered should be brought under notice was the way the ladies' committee were treated in-regard (o the purchasing of materials. Dr. Paget said he regretted that any body had been overlooked in the matter of purchasing goods. If a mistake was made he was sorry, and he took the whole blame on his shoulders. He wished to thank the ladies for the way they had helped and the time they had spent in the work. He. however, wished to tliank two ladies especially for the work they had done, and they were Mrs. Curtis and Miss Curtis. Mr. Dingle said that last Saturday the ladies' committee were canvassing for leather waistcoats, and he considered the amount should have come out of the patriotic funds. His Worship said it was a matter or opinion. The ladies' committee thought it was the best way of collecting, and lift saw no harm in it. Tile committee could have paid the amount if requested. Mr-, noon (mayoress) said (lit- matter came before the ladies' committee, and they did not consult the" Patriotic Committee, but decided they would collect the amount needed. Mr, Dingle said the Dairv Company had given £!I00 towards the funds, but the amount had just been collected, and he thought the committee should have collected the amount sooner, and then perhaps the company might have given them more. His Worship said the money was raising interest. The 'balance-sheet ami report were then adopted. Dr. Paget suggested that before the committee be appointed the meeting should seriously consider (!ic question of having a central committee, and appoint outside committees to assist this lommitiee. It was necessary that there should be a pooling of funds.' lie moved: ''That this meeting elect nine members to the- committee; Stratford County Wliangamomonii County, and Stratford • Borough Council one member each, and

Ngaore, Cardiff, Midhirst, Toko, Mahoe, > Stralhmore and 'Kohuiatahi (Patriotic Committees each one delegate." If this motion was carried there would be a consolidation of the whole of the country committees, and this ivoiiM be in tlio best interests of the town. IMV. J. McMillan seconded, saying that lie thought a committee set un on the lines suggested would prevent people saying that the committee were out of touch with public opinion. A long dis-uission took place as to whether the general committee should ■not meet together once a month in order to discuss matters. Mr. Onmpliell Jackson said the (Patriotic Committee had not helped the Scottish Society as they should have done, it was necessary to ■have men to go out into the country and get the opinion ef the country peopio and help. They must have workers for the committee, who would go out into tlin country. Rev. Howard suggested tlul, the ministers should lie represented, and said that the officer in charge of the Salvation Army would make an ideal officer. Dr. Paget thanked the Rev. Howard for the suggestion and said he was quite willing that a member from each of the religious bodies be appointed. Mr. Keller (Kohuratahi) said that : from what he had seen that afternoon ! there did not seem much unity. What was wanted was a national relief fund, and ihranehes should be formed throughout the district. Mr. Dingle said the dairy companies should be represented on the committee. They represented £390,090. Dr. Paget agreed to add it to his motion, after a heated discussion, that the whole of the dairy factories be asked to appoint a member to the committee. Mr. J. 11. Thompson moved as an amendment that three ladies be added to the committee.'—Mr Kirkwood seconded, pro forma, but this was lost on the voices. Thirteen gentlemen were nominated for the committee, and the following were elected:—Messrs T. 1(. Penn. A. F. Grant, J. W. Boon, J. McAllister, W. V. Kirkwood, Sangslcr, C. Jackson. J. McMillan, and Dr. Paget.