PATRIOTIC WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1917, Page 4

PATRIOTIC WORK.

NEW PLYMOUTH COMMITTEE. A meeting of the New Plymouth (Patriots Committee was held last evening, there being present: Messrs C. H. Burgess. (chairman), W, J. Chaney, J. R. Hill, L. M. Monteath (secretary), T. C. List, C. C.'E. Bollringer, J. Pa ton, H. Goodacre, A B. Gibaoii and C. Sadler, DISBURSEMENTS,. It was decided to vote £SO towards 1 the Church Army and £SO to the.Returned Soldiers' Association.

COMMITTEE'S WORK CRITICISED.

Mr. Gibson deplored that some of those engaged-tin tfris. campaign ojj |>ehi,lf of the returned soldiers had' madft' insinuations and untrue statements regarding the 'Patriotic) Society. He detailed some of the rumoro that had reached him, one being that a prominent officer was getting three figures for the work he was doing for the society. He did not care to submit to this sort of thin?, and intimated his intention of resigning. Tho chairman said that the rumors in the street did not, as a rule, emajiate from the soldiers. He admitted that there was some misconception amongst some of the soldiers regarding the operations of the society. A few regarded the society as a sort of charitable aid board; they were independent before they left, and wished to be independent now. Hence their efforts to raise funds for their own needs. Personally, he never heard an insinuation made by the men against the Patriotic Society.

Mr. Chancy mentioned that about 60 returned soldiers had come to him personally for eoine form of help, whilst he had had applications from outside. Genuine cases were always helped. A 9 for receiving pay- for his services; that, of course was not the case. He was only too pleased to place! his services gratuitously at the disposal of the committee and the men. Mr. Paton' said it seemed absurd that anyone could believe one of their officers was receiving "three figures" for his services, when the balance-sheets were published pretty well every month. The chairman: The trouble is, the people do not always read the newspar pers.

Mr. Paton: Let a mistake be made and you will soon see if they read the papers or not. Mr. Goodacre thought that if Mr. Gibson was in possession of any proof that insinuations had been made regarding the society, those responsible should be made to toe the mark. Anyhow, their duty wap to stand between the public find the men, and do the right thing. At the same time, he appreciated the independent spirit of the soldiers in trying to help themselves. Mr. Sadler said there had been some misconception in the past amongst soldiers as to the functions of the society, but that was disappearing, and the men knew that genuine cases would always be sympathetically considered. Some of the cases, he admitted, wore not always desfrving, and he gave particulars of one striking instance of a mau who preferred "booze" to work, and was no credit to thtT-association, which, indeed, was considering his expulsion. Mr. Bellringcr detailed how the War Relief Association was granting assistance to the returned men, whose cases were treated on their merits. The men were beginning to recognise that the committee was administering the funds in their interests and for their benefit. He was rather sorry to see that the Dominion executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association was urging the centralisation ahd nationalisation of the patriotic funds, which, he was sure, would be a mistake, for now the men got every consideration from the various district societies, which were necessarily closer in touch with the men. He was* pleased that the Government disavowed any in- , tention of following the recommendations. !

Mr. List thought the committee should continue to do what it considered its duty by the public and by the men, and not pay heed to any rumors or insinuations. If they were thin-skinned enough to do so they deserved the unplea/sant time that would necessarily follow. Mr. Gibson said this was not all. He had been dissatisfied for a long time with the way in which the Patriqtio Committee was carrying out its duties. With patriotic meetings and functions the members did not co-operate, whilst the sub-committees did little or nothing. He added that Taranaki did not show up too well in the published list of district contributions to the patriotic funds Members' pointed out that the subcommittees would be called together if there was work for them to do, whilst, in regard to the society helping at meetings, etc., that was a matter for each individual member. Some did everything within their power; others were unable, [ but others, again, could do- a little more than they had. Regarding patriotic funds, it was pointed out that Taranaki as a whole had never been systematically canvassed, and had the big provincial Battle of the Bullion scheme put forward some eighteen months ago, been gone on with, Taranaki's contributions would have shown up much better. Besides, Taranaki's population was considerably grentar than Hawke's Bay or Wairarapa, therefore Taranaki's per capita amount did not show so advantageously. It was remarked that no plae'o in New Zealand was doing better proportionately to population than New Plymouth in the matter of Saturdays' patriotic efforts.

A FARMER'S OFFER. Mr. Carter drew attention to the offermaslo by Mr. Poletti, of Bell Block, to give eight yearling heifers, and also liia time to canvass other farmers for similar gifts on behalf of the returned soldiers. Ho moved: That this committeenotes with pleasure Mr. Poletti's generous offer, which is commended to othofs interested, and intimates its desire to co-operate with him in giving effect to his scheme. A committee, consisting of Messrs J. R. Hill, C. E. Bellringer and C. Carter, was set up to interview Mr. Poletti, FINANCIAL. The balance-sheet was read as follows: Balance patriotic fund, 7th August, 1917, £1740 14s; Y.M.C.A, 7th August, IM7, £5; wounded soldiers 7th August, 1917, £3 5s 2d; total, £1748 19s 2d. Mangorei Co-op. Dairy Co. (Y.M.C.A.), £100; Misses Humphries (Y.M.C.A.)', £2; Mrs, John Handy (Y.M.C.A.), £l;' proceeds dance, Waiongona (Y.M.C.A.), £5; 6. H. Maunder (Y.M.C.A.), £5; employees Sash and Door Factory (Wounded Soldiers) £2 2s; Pierrots' Patriotic Committee balance £lB5- total, £2049 U 2d. Disbursements.—C. Carter £1 14s; T. Avery 3s; Herald £lO 3s Od; Dailv News £5 8s; O.E.M.S. (per Mr Simpson) £SO; Women's Patriotic Committee £800; Methodist Church £SO; Y.M, £150.. £105; Salvation Army I

■"■ n —■■ "nr" I £100; Comforts Committee tflt I porta, £lO, £ls, £ls; Tarwaki War K«!ief Association (Wounded Soltfiers), £2 3s; telephone (0 months to 48/2/lfr, Soldiers' Club building), £3 10s 84; total £l3lß la 9d. In liand.—Balance patriotic fund. £714 las 3d; Y.M.C.A. £l3; Wouiaied Soldiers £3 4a 2d> total £730 19» «d.