RAISING FUNDS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21226, 24 September 1940, Page 2

RAISING FUNDS

INQUIRY SOUGHT SCOPE OF RED CROSS WORK (Bv Telegraph.—Press Association) AUCKLAND, Tuesday The Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council decided last night to recommend the national council that an endeavour be made to have an inquiry undertaken by a commission into the raising of funds for patriotic purposes, with particular reference to the Red Cross. The decision was on the motion of Mr W. Jones, of Whangarei, seconded by Mr H. D. Caro, of Hamilton. The complaint was made that the New Zealand Red Cross Society was j continuing to collect funds specifically for the relief of the sick and | wounded, in spite of the large sum i already raised for this purpose. This | was considered to be in contraven- I tion of the patriotic funds regulations. In reporting on the recent con- ! ference of provincial council secre- j taries in Wellington, Mr K. L. i Usmar said the matter had been dis- j cussed there and dissatisfaction had j been expressed. Mr Jones said that in his zone those who were working for the j provincial fund were also dissatis-1 fied. and felt that the continued activities of the Red Cross in this j direction were definitely hampering their own efforts. The chairman, Sir Ernest Davis, said the matter would be cleared up only by the appointment of a Gov- | ernment commission of inquiry. ! Mr J. A. C. Allum suggested that j if such a commission were set up • it should go into the whole ques-' tion of the collecting of funds outside the regulations. SENT AT INTERVALS TOBACCO FOR SOLDIERS (By TelegriPli.—special to Times) AUCKLAND, Tuesday It was announced at a meeting of the Auckland Provincal Patriotic Council last night that consignments ; of tobacco and cigarettes for free dis-

tribution to New Zealand troops abroad are to be sent from the Dominion at regular intervals in future, instead of being included in the parcels shipped by patriotic organisations. It was explained that this arrangement would enable the consignments to be packed by the tobacco companies in bond, shipped under one permit and landed free of duty at their destination. Unaddressed gift parcels are despatched by the National PatrioticFund Board and the 11 Provincial Patriotic Councils at intervals, on the basis of one for each member of the Armed Forces abroad. These gifts are packed in bulk and are admitted to overseas countries free of duty. Hitherto the parcels have included pipe and cigarette tobacco or cigarettes, which should not be included in private parcels to Egypt,