WAR RELIEF.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1922, Page 3

WAR RELIEF.

WORK IN TARANAKI. THE DISPOSAL OF FUNDS. QUESTION OF A STOPPAGE. " A meeting of the Taranaki War Relief Association was held at Stratford yesterday. Present: Messrs. W. P. Kirkwood (chairman), A. E. Tayler, G. Young, C. A. Larcombe, W. J. Chaney, F. W. Atkinson, H. B. Burdekin and J. F. Stevenson. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. Washer and Mills. The action of the emergency committee in dealing with various applications was confirmed. The matter of what action is to be taken by the executive committee o-f the association in consideration of the attitude adopted by the Department of Internal Affairs in connection with the embargo placed on the association’s operations in connection with the adopted permanent disabled soldiers’ scheme was considered. Mr. W. P.”* Kirkwood (chairman) made a lengthy statement as to the association’s operations. “For some months past,” said the chairman, “the active operations of the association have practically ceased on account of the Government's embargo placed upon the completion of the permanently disabled soldiers’ scheme. It will be remembered that the permanently disabled soldiers’ scheme was adopted only after the jnoat careful and full consideration, and was endorsed in a most hearty manner at a conference representative of the whole of the Taranaki province and the representatives of the returned soldiers’ associations. -On the scheme to date, we have paid out a sum approximating £30,700, the balance of the funds being about £9BOO. Seeing that our scheme is so near completion the position taken up by the Minister of Internal Affairs does not seem reasonable.” After detailing the position, he concluded: “The position we have arrived at is—either the Government must take over the management of the affairs of the association or allow us to proceed with our policy.*’’ The secretary said that he had interviewed Mr. Davis, who gave him the assurance that there would be no further trouble. Later a letter was received from Mr. Davis, who stated that the Taranaki Association had been distributing the funds rn an improper manner and appeared to be preferring one class of returned soldier to another. He asked that no further paymen? ot the funds should be made until investigations had been made. A special meeting of th? association was held and the reasons why the association should go on with their scheme sent to the Government. An answer was received stating that it was impossible to proceed with the permanent disabled soldiers’ scheme, but they could continue to pay out as provided for in the regulations. The matter would be investigated as soon as possible.

Mr. Stevenson said that there was no doubt that their scheme covered all necessitous eases. The Government gave them the alternative of going, to the Supreme Court, and he thought that they should take that course. The chairman asked if the cost of Supreme Court proceedings would justify their taking that course.

Mr. Burdekin said that when the scheme was first proposed it was decided to leave a surplus amount over, but owing to an unfortunate miscalculation the scheme would not leave any surplus. He thought they should recast the scheme so as to leave money for the cases which would come up for consideration in the next five or ten or twenty years. The Returned Soldiers’ Association took up this attitude, that money should be kept in reserve for these cases.

The chairman said that he was quite certain that the hoarding up of funds would cause a great outcry from the public. Mr. Burdekin had said that this was supported by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, but it was not supported by the Taranaki Returned Soldiers’ Association, who were represented when the War Relief Association decided on their proposal. He contended that it was a wrong policy to hoard up funds, and that there would be a great deal of money for which there would never be any use. He thought that in stating that many cases would crop up in after years a big bogey was being raised. In reply to Mr. Larcombe the chairman said that the net amount collected by the patriotic societies in New Zealand was £5,479,991, and the balance remaining on March 31, 1920, was £1,540,000. Mr. Atkinson said that it was impossible to carry on and conserve their funds. They had already paid out to 75 per cent, of the men, and why should they block the other 25 per cent? After further discussion Mr. Burdekin moved that the chairman and secretary should go to Wellington and interview the Minister of Internal Affairs and Secretary of the War Funds Office, indicating that they would accept no modification, and if they could not receive permission to carry on the Solicitor-General should be asked to state a case for the Supreme Court. The resolution was carried unanimously.