STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1916, Page 5

STRATFORD.

PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE'S MNUAD REPORT. ■ (I'i'om Our Own Correspondent,) ' ti f,i • Stratford - August 18. , Ihe following is the report to be guh.' \ ui'tted to the annual meeting: ; Your Committee have to report that . the work carried out during the year lias , been very satisfactory, and that a Very . (iJiisidfrable sum of money lias been , ( a '-'' < ' :lll| l raised in Various ways for the several funds. During the year, 32 meetings of tile' : Executive Committee were held, with the following attendance of members-, W. P. Kirkwood 31, J. W. McMillan 27. , | A. I'. Grant 20, .T. W. Boon 23, J. Masters 23, T. H Penn 21, D. J. Mgloae part term) 15, R. Dingle 12, A. Merc dith 8, Rev. Howard (part term) 4. The General Committee have foeon ; called together several times during the year, and have faithfully carried out the duties allotted. Tlie Ladies* Committee ably assisted our Committee in many ways, and wefe successful in raising a considerable sum ' for the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. Throughout the year the country Committees have worked harmoniously with our organisation, and materially assisted the funds with money collected in the district, ■ s ■ The Stratford Scottish Society did splendid work and handed over ft very handsome amount to our Committed for the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The "Fete of Nations" organisation from New Plymouth, generously assisted the ellorts of our Committee, by staging a performance in the Stratford Town Hall, which was the means of adding an appreciable sum to our main fund. Mrs. N. Fulton generously donated the section of land she won in the Scottish Soriety rafl'le, the proceeds going to svell the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. Ihe motor car donated to the New Plymouth and Stratford Committee, for the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, realised over £342 10s Pd in Stratford by the sale of tickets, and altogether £BOO for Tnrmiaki. Mr. King's staff materially assisted in the sale of tickets by their efforts at the Hawera Winter ShoW, the company controlling the Show having kindly granted permission foi the sale of tickets. The Gift Auction Stock Sale and the Social organised by the Stratford auctioneers were very successfully ; carried out; the auction being responsible for a large sum of monev being raised, while the social returned a creditable amount. •'Soldiers' Day," held in Stratford, under the auspices of our Committee, and ably organised by members of the Committee and tov*'nspeop]s, was a great success in every way, and ndded a "very material addition to the Funds. The Stratford A. and P. Association very kindly placed the Showgrounds at the disposal of the Committee for this function. The Committee desire to thank the ladies, who in several eases of personal sacrifice, gave tlici* services, in various capacities in connection with "Soldiers' Day." Mr. S. A. Mann very kindly donated two sections of land in Stratford, the froeecds to go to the Wounded Soldiers' 1' und. Your Committee desire to thank the •Borough Council for the use of an office in the new Municipal Building. The Anzac Minstrels augmented the funds by giving a number of conceits at several centres in the country. The dairying industry in the district has very substantially assisted the &mds, the following companies having contributed to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund:—■ Stratford Dairy Company, .Midhirst, Car--dill', Ngaere, and Tututa'wa. Your Committee hope to get further contributions during the coming vear_ from the comi panies named, also from other comi panics in the district. Since last year's balance-sheet' waa presented, and up to 30th June last; tha sum of £5997 0s 3d has been contributed to the various funds. Since then wo have collected to date, and are promised, approximately £2OOO. Special funds were collected as follows: Red Cross £33S 12s, Sailors' Relief Fund juat out £3OO. Our committee, together with otheii Patriotic Committees throughout Taranaki, is now affiliated with the Taranaki Provincial War Relief Association, wihichi body will control and administer funds raised in Taranaki for wounded soldiers. This fund is in the neighborhood of £30,000. As the Committees throughout the provincial district will continue to act as collecting bodies for the Association, it is most desirable that the efn forts of our Committee should not be relaxed, but should continue steadilj in ■the work undertaken heretofore, and not 'cease until the end of the war. Recruiting iu the Stratford district has been very satisfactory, the district maintaining its position with other districts throughout Taranaki, which set a.iiigh, standard for the Dominion. The balance-sheet'shows that, including tlic balance brought forward (#1341 Hi; S'/jd) the total receipts amounted to ,€7341 Ids loy|;d. The jutgoings totalled £1022 N • 2V : .'d. including the office rent, etc. ( £-17 Iti.i O'/jdi, a balance of £0319 2* Sd being arried forward. , The position of the various accounts i; follows: Wounded Soldiers, JESSS4 13s 3d; I'Uriotie am' general purposes, £1S!I 13- ."id; luiu'hine-gun, £8 13s 4d; Sailors' lielief, £139 5s 2d; motor car iiill'le, £l)li 17s Oil.