Use of Patriotic Fund For Relatives' Parcels Sought

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1942, Page 2

Use of Patriotic Fund For Relatives' Parcels Sought

Authority for district committees to disburse patriotic money to assist next-of-kin in making up parcels for prisoners of war was sought by the Kaponga committee in a letter to a nieeting of the Taranaki Provincial Patriotic Council at Stratford yesterday. It was decided to obtain a ruling from the National Patriotic Fund Board. "I understand that in necessitous cases it is possible to obtain a refund from. the patriotic funds of amounts disbursed for assisting next-of-khi," said the letter, after referring to Red Cross Society activities in raising money to purchase articles of clothing for inclusion in parcels. "It is necessary to show that the persons assisted are not in a position to bear the cost themselves. The fact that what amounts to a 'means test' is applied is resented by next-of-kin and, in the opinion of my committee, is most undesirable." After the meeting the secretary, Mr. F. P. D. Jefferies, Stratford, received a letter from the board stating, inter alia: "The Prisoners of War Inquiry Ofnce has already had brought under its notice several cases where next-of-kin have not been in a position to forward a quarterly parcel. Ill-health or indigence is often responsible for this. In these cases next-of-kin are requested to communicate the details to their nearest Prisoners of War provincial office which will then communicate with the Red Cross or St; John organisation in the locality where the next-of-kin lives. They, in turn, wdl investigate the matter and take the necessary action."