WAR RELIEF.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 January 1916, Page 6

WAR RELIEF.

THE TARANAKI ASSOCIATION. ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS. OVER £12,000 IN HAND. The executive of the Taranaki War Relief Association met at Stratford yesterday. Present: Messrs J. E. Wilson (aow Plymouth), E. Beekbessinger "(naitara), W. E. Pcrcival (Inglewood), L. A. Bone (Hawera), W. P! Kirkwood (Stratford), T. McPhillips (Waimate), and C. S. Fleming (Patea). Mr. Wilson was appointed chairman. A good deal of discussion took place on the rules of the Association. Mr. Pareival said he would like to know at that stage if it was intended to pool the different funds of Taranaki. The chairman said this was the intention, and all the funds would be controlled by the Taranaki Association. The funds from the various Taranaki towns would become vested in the Association when the Association came under the War Funds Aet. It would be 1 for the association to say whether the funds should remain invested as at present or not. The local committees would still retain the power of granting immediate relief. Mr. Fleming pointed out that while his Society raised funds principally for sick and wounded soldiers they also made donations to a variety of patriotic funds and they wished to continue to have this pbwer. They were willing ' that, the funds for sick and wounded soldiers should be administered by the Association, but not the money set apart for other objects. Societies should not 1 be asked to hand over the whole of their ■funds to the Association; The chairman replied that the object of the Association was purely to administer the funds for soldiers, and not • other moneys raised by Patriotic Com- ■ mittees, over which the Association had no control whatever. The various Patriotic Committees, while bein<* reu presented on the Association, would not ' Jose their individual identities as patriotic organisations. Mr. Wilson made it clear that only funds raised for ; ,the soldiers would be administered by ■ the Association. , After -some further discussion the ■ .delegates signed the rules on behalf of ■ their executive committees. [ The chairman stated that Mr. J. Me- - Millan was acting as secretary to the Association without - remuneration, but • it would be necessary to appoint a pcr- ' manent salaried secretary. It was de- ■ cided to appoint Mr. McMillan secrc- ' ,tary pro tem, and the chairman and the 1 secretary were empowered to cmplov a : ,paid assistant. It is proposed to'fill : this position by a returned soldier if it i is possible to obtain a suitable man. Mr. W. P. Kirkwood was appointed : treasurer to the Association. It was decided to make application to have the Association incorporated under the War Funds Act.

TOTAL FUNDS IN HAND. The chairman asked the delegates for information as to the amount of the money their committees had in hand at present for sick and wounded soldiers, and the particulars given showed the position '!> be uwvnximately as follows: '£ New Plymouth 5000 Stratford ... 2820 liawera \ J4QO Patea 5317 Waitara ]2OO Inglewood ' 000 Manaia .. 300 Total £12,037 The chairman said that of the New Plymouth total £4OOO had been contributed for wounded soldiers and £IOOO consisted of part of the original patriotic fund, which it had been decided to devote .to the district fund for returned soldiers. Mr. Kirkwood repor»ed that the Midliirst Dairy Company intended to donate £IOOO and the Stratford/Dairy Company £7OO to the Stratford Patriotic Fund, and he proposed' that these two donations should be made direct to the Taranaki Fund.

ROTORUA CONVALESCENT HOME. The chairman reported that applications had been received by the Patriotic Committees from the Government for assistance for the Convalescent Home at Rotorua for returned soldiers. No application had come to the Association, hut some of the committees who had received applications lmd taken no action pending a decision by the Association. After some discussion the following motion was carried: "The Association having had the application of the Minister of Internal Affairs for a grant towards the equipment, of the Rotorua Convalescent Home referred to it by some of its branch societies, resolve's that it of opinion that, thjs undertaking is one which is essentially part of the duty of the Government; further, the funds now available in Taranaki for the purposes of the relief of wounded soldiers are very limited."

ORGANISATION OF. COMMITTEES. A circular letter -was received from the Minister of Internal .Affairs stating that, as the number of returned soldiers increases, some three thousand having already returned to New Zealand, it becomes imperatively necessary that steps sliould be taken to organise, as far as possible, the work, of the Patriotic Societies, in order that there may bo no overlapping, and that the full necessities of the men may be recognised. He would be glad for an indication if it was thought a conference on the matter was desirable, and, if so, if the first Wednesday in February would be a suitable day for a conference in Wellington. The chairman said they lia: 1 . spent hundreds' of pounds in going to Wellington for conferences, from which no .good had come. The Association now had its own machinery for working, and therefore he did not think a conference was necessary..' It was decided to reply stating that the Association did not. favor holding a conference as suggested. The meeting was adjourned until next FKdflv at 10.30 a.m.