PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1939, Page 7

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

PROPOSALS FOR CONTROL ANNOUNCED STEPS TO AVOID WASTE AND OVERLAPPING. NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL BASIS. (By Telegrapn—Press Association.) ' WELLINGTON ,This Day. For the purpose of controlling war fund activities and avoiding overlapping of effort the Patriotic Purposes Emergency Regulations have been gazetted. They were explained by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, in a statement in the House of Representatives last night.

Showing the. necessity for this con • trol, the Minister mentioned that there were nearly 600 separate war* fund? and just under 1000 collecting agencies during the last war, resulting not only in extravagant competition and expense in collecting the funds, but also in actual misappropriation and wasteful expenditure. “It is intended during the present war to establish a national patriotic fund and 11 provincial funds,” continued the Minister, "thus creating 12 community chests and enabling expenditure to be regulated. Power to approve purposes is being vested in the Minister, thus making it possible tc withhold approval of any purpose till the need arises."

The provincial fund districts are those constituted under the New Zealand Centennial, Act with the same, subdivisions, and the Provincial Centennial Council will be the Patriotic Council controlling the various local committees. All collections will be made for the respective provincial funds and the council will control provincial expenditure. It will be empowered to employ for this purpose specially qualified organisations, such as the R.S.A., Y.M.C.A.. Red Cross and Salvation Army. ■ A national fund will be established controlled by a special incorporated board with the Governor-General as chairman. It was hoped, said the Minister. that moneys would be contributed both by the people generally and the provincial councils for purposes which 'could best be served by the national body. In particular all moneys for expenditure overseas must be paid into the national funds. The general administration of the regulations would be the function of the Minister, in whom was vested the sole power to declare approved purposes. The Minister will be assisted by a National Advisory Council which he will appoint, this body having the general function of advising all patriotic collecting organisations and making such investigations as are deemed necessary. The Minister assured the House that, this complete system of control would not destroy local autonomy.

Various exemptions from control are being gazetted immediately, Mr Parry continued, covering the spiritual work and ministrations of the Churches among the forces, and also local and private functions in honour of soldiers. Centennial funds no longer required for that purpose may bo diverted to approved patriotic purposes.