PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1916, Page 3

PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES.

A FEDERATION DESIRABLE (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, April 17. ■Referring to the work of the patriotic societies, the Minister for Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) stated that the need for a federation of the societies in each district was becoming apparent. The recently constituted Advisory Board provided a Dominion organisation, lint it did not do all that was required. The Wellington district contained a considerahle number of patriotic societies, and without some sort of federation it was not easy for them to arrange for the payment of the district's share of £3OOO per mentli required to ho provided for the sick and wounded soldiers in Egypt, England and elsewhere.'

A plan of federation, for the purpose:': of common action when required, has been adopted already by the patriotic societies in the Auckland district, and the Minister stated he regarded it as very desirable that something of the hind should be done in the Wellington district. He hoped after the Easter holidays to get into communication with the societies on the subject. "There i s one aspect of the work of the patriotic societies that in my opinion has not yet received sufficient attention," said the Minister. "I recently' read a report covering the operations of patriotic, funds in the United Kingdom, connected ffith wars from the Crimean campaign onwards. An item of expenditure that attracted my notice was the maintenance and education of destitute children jf soldiers who had died on service. I trust that the patriotic so. cieties of New Zealand will 'bear the item in mind when they are planning their expenditure.'' °