PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1915, Page 8

PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE.

QUESTION OF CONSCRIPTION. The New Plymouth Patriotic Committee met last night. Prn-'snt: Messrs. C. Carter (acting-chairman), C. H. Burgess, W. J. Chaney, H. Goodacre, J. R. Hill, W. C. Weston, C. E. Bellrmger, .1. Paton, W. A. Collis, E. Griffiths, J. S. S. Medley, D. J. Hughes, Adjutant Home, Captain Allen, and the Rev. A. H. Coivile. It was decided that the committee should do all in its power to assist the Central School Carnival on Thursday. Mr. Burgess, who was the committee's delegate at the recent conference in Wellington of Patriotic Societies, outlined the business done at the conference. The work of the conference has already been made public. —Mr. Burgess was thanked for his report, which was received, and discussion on the matters touched on was postponed. A telegram was received from the secretary of the Southland Patriotic Society asking if the Taranaki district agreed to pooling' patriotic funds i» an international scheme.—Mr. Burgess said the Taranaki district was in favor of the National scheme, but he could not say anything about the feeling in regard to pooling founds. It was decided to forward the telegram to the Taranaki War Relief Association. A letter was received from the Riwaka (Nelson) Recruiting Association stating that at a meeting of the Association it was resolved, "That in our opinion conscription should be introduced, and that a special session of Parliament should be convened forthwith to pass the necessary legislation." The letter set out at length the reasons why the association considered conscription necessary.—lt was decided to inform the association that recruitng was proceeding so well in Taranaki under the voluntary system that it was considered the time was not opportune to discuss conscription. The chairman brought up the question of the boundaries of the committee's district, and said it was necessary that the boundaries should be defined. The matter was left in the hands of a subcommittee consisting of the chairman and Messr., J. R. Hill and 0 E. Bellringer. A sub-committee was appointed to go itto the question of paying the war risk insurance of men going to the front.