PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1939, Page 9

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

WAIRARAPA COMMITTEE SET UP NOR TH & SOUTH ZONES COMBINED. MOVE TO CO-ORDINATE EFFORT IN DISTRICT. A special meeting of representatives of local bodies in the Wairarapa Provincial Patriotic Fund district was held in the Masterton Borough Council Chambers yesterday afternoon. There were present the Mayor of Masterton, Mr T. Jordan (convenor) and the Town Clerk. Mr G. T. O'Hara Smith, representing the Masterton Borough Council, Messrs J. W. Card (Mayor oi Featherston). D. L. Taverner (Mayor of Carterton.), A. W. Horton (Mayor of Grey town). A. B. Martin (chairman Featherston County Council), A. S. White (for the chairman Castlepoint County Council), W. Simpson (Mayor of Eketahuna), J. B. Carruthers (chairman Eketahuna County Council), A. Forsberg (deputising for Mr W. H. Cheetham, chairman Mauriceville County Council) and Mr J. C. D. Mackiey, Masterton County Clerk (deputising for Mr R. E. Gordon Lee, chairman Masterton County Council).

Apologies for absence were received from the Mayor of Martinborough (Mr C. Skill), the Mayor of Pahiatua (Mr S. K. Siddells), the Pahiatua Town Clerk (Mr Hutton), Mr Bissett (representing Pahiatua County Council), and Mr R. E. Gordon Lee (chairman Masterton County Council). Mr Jordan explained that the meeting bad been called to regularise proceedings under the Emergency Patriotic Regulations. Under these the Wairarapa district has been divided into two zones, North and South. He had always regarded this district as one and indivisible and suggested they should amalgamate the two zones and act as one. This met with unanimous approval and a resolution to give effect to it was duly carried. This involved the election of a chairman for the combined area and Mr Jordan was elected to the post. The Town Clerk of Masterton, Mr G. T. O’Hara Smith, who had been acting as secretary of the zone in the meantime was appointed secretary and treasurer. The chairman explained what had been done to confer on the chairman of each local authority the power to appoint. authorised collectors for the Provincial Fund and also the steps he had taken through the National Patriotic Council to prevent a clash between the collectors for the National Fund, such as the Y.M.C.A., Red Cross and Salvation Army, and collectors for the Provincial Fund so that the final decision within each area rested with the chairman of the local body. The form of authority appointing collectors for the Provincial Fund came up for discussion and the opinion was expressed that it would be advisable in each case to appoint a definite period for the currency of each authority to collect. It was decided to open a bank account in Masterton into which all Provincial Funds collected in this district should be paid and the necessary authority was arranged for operating on the account. It was pointed out that the regulations made provision for the setting up. with the consent ol the Provincial Council, of a separate account within the Provincial Fund for any special approved purpose; and the Regulations amply provide also for the appointment by the Provincial Council of spending agents in any particular area. This the meeting decided to keep in mind for future use. The meeting also decided that a local Patriotic Committee should be set up in each centre to co-ordinate every patriotic purpose and effort. This would give the public an opportunity for wider representation and interest in the work. In some of the centres this had already been done.