PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1915, Page 5

PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

SCHEME FOR DISPOSAL. CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON. It has been arranged that to-morrow morning, at 11 o'clock, a conference of members of the Government and representatives of patriotic committees throughout the Dominion is to be held in the Joint Committee room at the Parliamentary Building, Wellington. It will he presided over by the Minister for Internal Afl'airs (Hon. U. W. Russell), whoso duty is to administer the War Funds Act. The oilier .Ministers who will attend will be the Hons. J. Allen (Minister for Defence), A. L. Iferdman ('Minister in charge of the Discharged Soldiers' Department), and A. M. Myers (Minister in charge of Pensions). The Hon. Mr. Russell, referring - to the conference, stated: "There will be a large representation of patriotic societies on the occasion, including delegates from all over the countrc. The primary object of the conference is to endeavor to secure a deiinition of the respective responsibilities of the Government and the patriotic committees with regard to sick and wounded and discharged soldiers. There has been a tendency on the part of some of the leaders of the patriotic movement to place on the Government practically the entire responsibility of dealing with all matters relating to the soldiers. On the other hand there are some of the committees who have displayed a generous desire to assist in every way with the funds at their disposal.' The Government realise their full responsibility with regard to the men, and, of course, if there were not patriotic funds in existence the Government would do everything required. But as large sums have been raised—probably up t 0 threequarters of a million—and these funds have been subscribed bv the public directly for the benefit of sick and wounded soldiers, the Government feel that it is desirable some friendly discussion should take place to see' exactly what tile feeling of patriotic committees is in regard to various details. During in}' visit to Dunedin I had an interesting .".nd informative interview with the executive of the patriotic movement there, and I feel that good work can be done in laying down the general lines upon which the patriotic committees may act.

"One of the tilings that will be discussed at the conference is as to the assistance which may be given by the patriotic committees in the establishment, equipment, and maintenance of convalescent stations for soldiers, not only those still in the service, but tlio.su who have been discharged in order that they may lie fully restored to health. Another matter which Mr. Herdmau lias entered upon with great thoroughness is the provision of employment "for discharged soldiers. He is 'certain to need money to enable him to fully discharge this important duty, and there is any amount of room for help from the committees in this direction. Both Mr. IHerdraan and myself are exceedingly anxious to avoid as far as possible trenching on the moneys raised for the prosecution of the war. We feel that they should bfe devoted to the primary purposes for which they were obtained—■the equipment, dispatch, and maintenance of the soldiers in the field—and therefore any assistance that can be obtained from the patriotic committees for the men on their return from the firing line will be quite within their functions to bestow."