PENSIONS AND PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1915, Page 6

PENSIONS AND PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

EMPLOYMENT OF SINGLE MEN. Various suspects of the war have been before the public mind lately regarding the New Zealand forces, especially in regard to recruiting, and the case of the dependents of those who fall in action and those who are wounded. Various local bodies have taken the different matters up and passed various resolutions. .Several of these were before tlie Clifton County Council yesterday, but none of them found general support. Indeed, in one case the Council passed an adverse resolution.

The Raglan County Council asked support of a resolution, which they had carried unanimously, to the effect that the services of all i single men eligible for military service in the employ of the Council be dispensed with at one month's notice, unless they can produce a certificate that they had offered their services and had been rejected, and that no single men eligible for military service be employed during the continuance of the war.

Councillors affirmed that this would not have the effect of causing men to recruit, as if the Council dismissed any eligible men there were numerous other jobs available to them. The letter was accordingly received. The Mt. 'Herbert County Council asked support of a resolution asking that all Local Bodies should be empowered to strike a Patriotic Fund rate. They remarked that under the present system of voluntary contribution large sums had already been subscribed, but, unfortunately, many who were -.veil able to contribute had done little or nothing at all, and such a rate would reach those who had not already realised their duty. Councillors were of opinion that settlers in their district bad realised their duty, and on the motion of Crs. Pigott and Purdie, it was resolved that owing to the large amounts of voluntary subscriptions received in the district, the Council was not in sympathy with the proposal. The 'Petone Borough Council wished .support of a resolution that the War Pensions Act, 1915, should be amended in the direction of setting forth therein, clearly and definitely, the amounts payable to soldiers' dependents in the event of death or active service, such amounts not to be subject to reduction or variation by the Pensions Board, and that Parliament should be at once summoned to amend the Act. This letter was also received.