PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1916, Page 7

PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES.

A CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON, INTERESTING FIGURES. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Feb. 17. A conference of representatives of patriotic societies in New Zealand commenced to-day. The. Hon. G. W. Russell presided. He stated that a large number of men bad returned to New Zealand and their claims for consideration at the bands of both the Government and the patriotic ,80eieties bad become so insistent that it was absolutely necessary that there should be a clear definition of tlie respective spheres in which each would operate. The number of soldiers sent away up to January 17 was .11,788, of whom 3642 bad returned. Of these 400 had notified they needed no further assistance from the State. Assuming that our total forces finally reached 64,363, on present experience the pension demands would amount to £198,150 per annum. To supplement this sum by 50 per cent, from the patriotic societies would require an annual payment of £9<>,078, made lip as follows:* Auckland Military District, £20,830; Wellington district, £33,004; Canterbury, £22,884; Otago, £1G,250. This sum might seem a large one, but in a country so highly endowed there should be no difficulty in the State paying its share and patriotic societies averaging an expenditure which would represent a supplement of 50 per cent, to the pensions and allowances granted by the State. The Minister said he understood thf.re was a feeling among some people that the Government desired to decimate the action of the patriotic societies. He assured the conference there was no such wish. If it. was desired he would be quite willing to leave the conference to •he representatives of the. societies and meet them afterwards. A motion was moved by a Canterbury representative that the- confererce conduct its deliberations solely in the presence of members oi patriotic societies and the press. The motion wsj eventually wiibilvawn.