PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1919, Page 6

PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee was held at the Soldiers' Club last night. The Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) presided and there were also present Mrs. Burgess, Messrs. J. W. Chaney (deputychairman), C. E. Bellringer, J. Hoskin, G. Fraser, W. A. Collis, P. Jackson, C. Carter, J. Paton (treasurer), and L, M. Montcath (secretary).

A letter was received from the Waver-ley-Waitotara Patriotic Association enclosing a copy of the following resolution passed by the Association and asking the local committee's endorsement thereof: "That in the opinion of this Association, the regulations protecting discharged soldiers from civil recourse by law for debt so long as any moneys borrowed from the Government on loan &nd any portion of which remains unpaid, is not in the interests of th<i soldiers, as it prejudices the credit of the soldier with the Patriotic Societies, and further with a view of having the regulations rescinded a copy of this resolution be sent to Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, and to other kinddred Associations.

It was decided to support the resolution. The War Eelief Association forwarded a copy of the following notice of motion by the chairman (Mr. W. P. Kirkwood), which is to be considered at the July meeting: That the following be a basis on which the funds controlled by the Association will for the future be administered: (1) Elimination of loan® otherwise than loans for furniture; (2) to make straight-out grants for various purposes; (3) augment pensions; (4) supplement incomes; (5) make loans for furniture of £75 maximum, or m time straight-out grants of a lesser sum; (6) to give such assistance .by way of grant of weekly allowance to soldiers or dependents as each Individual case may merit after investigation. It was decided to support the motion. A number of applications for assistance for soldiers or their dependents were considered and recommendations made to the War Eelief Association Wfth a view to meeting the cases.

The treasurer's statement showed that the receipts sinee last meeting were nil, and the payments £35 15s Id, leaving a balance of £145 l'9s 3d in the Patriotic Fund, and £lO in the Motor Car Hire Fund; total, £165 19s 3d.