WAR FUNDS COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 November 1915, Page 8

WAR FUNDS COUNCIL.

ITS PERSONNEL AND DUTIES. By Telegrtph.—<Pre« Ai&ocUtloa. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister for Internal Affairs announced to-day that a National War Funds Council had been set up under the War Funds Act, passed during the last session of Parliament, and that the Council consisted of the following members:—The Mayors of the four principal cities, ex-oflicio; Messrs J. H. Upton, a director of the Rank of New Zealand (Auckland), Walter Bethune, Hugh Morrison, chairman of the Wairarapa Patriotic Committee (Wellington), William Reece, director of the Bank of New Zealand (Canterbury), John Roberts, C.M.G. (Otago), and J. b. MeGruer (Southland).

Mr. Russell said that this Council had power under the Act to administer the funds hitherto handed over to it by the trustees of any patriotic fund. It was required to give weight to the recommendations of former trustees, or of local advisory committees, in dealing with the money. The Act did not compel the transfer of any fund from its present control, patriotic societies being left to decide for themselves whether or not they would fall in with the national scheme. The Act required every patriotic society controlling money subscribed by the public for purposes connected with war to supply to the Minister full information regarding the objects of the fund, the names of the trustees, names of officers, name of bank at which the money was kept, and other particulars. This information was now being asked for in order that the Council might get a clear idea of the situation.