PATRIOTIC FUND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 November 1943, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUND

RECENT WAIRARAPA APPEAL QUOTA EXCEEDED. CONSIDERATION OF FUTURE POLICY. Representatives of Wairarapa local bodies met in Masterton last night to consider the position of Patriotic Fund collections in the district, and matters relating to patriotic appeals. The Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, presided. The treasurer, Mr G. T. O Hara Smith, reported the result of the 1943 appeal to be: — Masterton district, £10,374; amount acknowledged. £9682 10s lid. Pahiatua district, £3311; amount acknowledged, £3644 14s 3d. Eketahuna district, £2003; amount acknowledged, £2264 6s 3d. Carterton district, £3886; amount acknowledged, £4061 2s lOd. Greytown district, £2003; amount acknowledged, £1515 2s Id. Akitio district, ‘£1268; amount acknowledged, £1093 8s Id. Featherston district, £1922; amount acknowledged, £1949 14s 2d. Martinborough district, £1936; amount acknowledged, £1984 10s lid. Total, £26,703; total, £26,195. This,'plus credits from Red Cross, £192 17s; parcels fund, £92 Is 6d; proportion Civil Service, etc., collections, £594 10s; less adjustment as at October 1, 1942.. £164 5s lid, gave the Zone “B” quota £26,705, which was in excess of the quota by £207 12s Id. After a discussion as to the method of raising the 1944 Patriotic Fund Appeal, it was decided to continue with a voluntary patriotic effort, as opposed to remits to be brought before the National Patriotic Fund Board at its forthcoming conference, that the required funds be raised by taxation. Speakers agreed that whilst taxation afforded the most equitable means of raising money, to do so would defeat the whole idea of patriotic contribution, whereby comforts provided by the money raised through voluntary giving came to their fighting forces as a gift. For this reason, remits to the National Conference advocating taxation to raise funds were not supported.

REMITS CONSIDERED.

The following remits were considered worthy of support:— “That the practice of obtaining contributions from deductions from public servants’ salaries be discontinued, as the same is more deterrent than productive of funds, and causes injustices, since the more generous contribute in two ways.” “That Provincial Patriotic Councils hold their appeals, on a concentrated Dominion-wide basis, within a period of two months in the year, in order that national radio and newspaper publicity could be organised, and that a special committee be set up from the conference to be responsible for the publicity.” The meeting considered that the .months of February and March in each year be the most suitable months. On a remit that the 1944 Appeal be called “The United Red Cross and Patriotic Appeal,” it was decided that delegates to the conference take no action.

Support was given to a remit urging that the service men’s discharge booklet be issued at the earliest possible date.

Mi- Jordan stated, with regard to a remit that the expending agents of the National Patriotic Fund should be required to make known that their funds were derived from the Patriotic Fund, that this matter was already receiving prominence, so as to remove a hitherto widespread misunderstanding. Support was accorded a remit that personnel of the National Patriotic Fund Board should be entirely composed of delegates from provincial councils, the Governor-General’s appointment only excluded, the view being taken that representatives of those raising the money should be those re-, sponsible for its disbursement. Another remit excluding to foreign nationals funds raised for patriotic purposes was approved, the remit contending tha grants outside their own nationals could more fittingly be made from either the War Expenses Account, the Consolidated Fund, or from the proceeds of special collections. Free travel warrants by sea and by service car, as well as by rail, to members of the Allied Forces home on furlough, were approved in a remit from Nelson. The inclusion of men of the Merchant Navy in allowances for petrol whilst on,, leave, and the same travel concessions as were accorded members of the Armed Forces, was approved. It was' decided that Messrs C. R. Holmes and S. J. Judd be appointed delegates from Zone “B” to the National Conference, at which Mr Jordan would also attend as a member of the Board. It was decided that in future the boroughs of Greytown, Martinborough and Featherston and the Featherston County be incorporated as one district for purposes of patriotic collection; that each district work for its quota assessed; as formerly, half on population and half on capital value; and that should the National Conference not agree to a remit that patriotic appeals be made on a two month concentrated Dominion-wide basis, then the 1944 Patriotic Fund Appeal for Zone “B” be from February 1 and terminate on March 31, 1944.