THE BICKERTON FUND (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1910 Session I, H-14

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1910. NE W ZE A L ASD,

THE BICKERTON FUND (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Return to an Older of the House of Representatives dated the 7th July, 1910. Ordered, " That there be laid before this House all the correspondence that has passed between members of the Government and persons either in this Dominion or resident in otber countries with referenoe to the Biokeiton Fund."—(Mr. Massey.)

COREESPONDENCE.

[Note. —In order to make this correspondence more complete, some letters of later date than 7th July, 1910 (date of order for return), have been included.]

Sir, — The Bickerton Association, Trades Hall, Christchurch, 17th February, 1910. The above recently formed association, at a meeting' held on Wednesday, the 16th instant, passed the following resolution: " That we urge upon the Government the desirability of granting I'rofessor Bickerton a sum of money sufficient to pay all necessary expenses for a trip home, in order tiiat lie may have the opportunity of bringing before the scientific world his theory of partial impact. 1 may add for your information that the above association is founded by most of the. leaders of the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council, and we are desirous of doing all we possibly can to assist the professor in his attempt to popularize and prove his theory, believing that it will materially add to the sum total of knowledge so necessary to a. fuller understanding of the problem of life. We therefore with every confidence bring this under your notice, believing that it would probably help to remove obstacles from the path, and materially assist the professor when submitting his theory to the scientific world, if it receives the assistance so desirable in the name of the Government of New Zealand. ' Trusting to have your favourable assurance on this important matter, I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Sir J. G. Ward. R. J. Ecroyd, Secretary.

Dear Sir, — Prima Minister's Office, Wellington, 24th March, 1910. I am in receipt of your letter of the 17th February forwarding copy of resolution passed by your association urging that Government grant financial assistance to Professor Bickerton to enable him to visit England to bring before the scientific world his theory of partial impact. In reply, I have to say that the Government will grant a subsidy of £1 for £1 up to £300 towards the object in question. Yours, &c, J. G. Ward. R. J. Ecroyd, Esq., Secretary, " The Bickerton Association," Trades Hall, Christchurch.

Dear Sir, Post-office, Barcaldine, Queensland, 25th April, 1910. In a private letter from New Zealand I learn your Government are subsidizing public subscriptions to the extent of £1 for £1 to send Professor A. W. Bickerton to England in connection with his cosmic theories. As one much interested, I desire to heartily congratulate you and your colleagues on your actions. Whatever the result may be, lam certain (in the interest of education) you will never regret your action.

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In a public letter to the editor of the Lyttelton Times, Christchurch, New Zealand, I have offered to give one thousand pounds (£1,000) towards the Bickerton Fund, subject to certain conditions. This offer I now repeat to you, and shall be glad if you will kindly bring it under the notice of the Premier and your other colleagues. Briefly my offer is that I will give one thousand pounds (£1,000) towards the Bickerton Fund, such sum to be deducted from my claim against the New Zealand Government for five thousand pounds (£5,000), which your Government have had for some time under consideration. Kindly forward me the necessary order, and, if practical, I will sign the same and return to you immediate. In this case the Bickerton Committee will have a working capital of £2,000. Yours, &c, W. F. Aplin. The Hon. George Fowdds, Minister of Education, Wellington, New Zealand. P.S.— Date of letter to the editor of the Lyttelton Tim.es, 7th March, 1910. —W. F. Aplin.

Sir, — The Bickerton Association, Box 535, Christchurch, 26th April, 1910. I am instructed by my committee to ask you, re subsidy granted by your Government, as to — (f.) Whether the subsidy will be paid only on the net total of fund (after payment of all expenses) standing to the credit of the fund at bank, or (2.) On the full amount subscribed by the public (up to, in each case, the £300 granted). Awaiting your favour in reply, I have, «fec, The Right Hon. the Premier, Sir J. G. Ward. R. J. Ecroyd, Secretary.

Dear Sir, — Minister's Office, Education Department, Wellington, 18th May, 1910. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th ultimo relative to the Bickerton Fund, and to. say that I have noted its contents. Yours, &c, Mr. W. F. Aplin, Post-office, Barcaldine, Queensland. Geo. Fowlds.

Dear Sir, — Post-office, Barcaldine, Queensland, 30th May, 1910. Kindly accept my thanks for your favour of the 18th instant in reply to my letter of the 25th ultimo. Kindly send me the necessary papers for the transfer of the £1,000 referred to in my letter of the 25th ultimo, which papers, if in order, I will sign and return immediate. lam anxious to pay the £1,000 to enable the Bickerton Fund to have a working capital. Yours, &c, The Hon. George Fowlds, Wellington, New Zealand. W. F. Aplin.

Sir, — Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 6th June, 1910. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo asking for information as to the terms upon which the subsidy of £1 for £1 up to £300 will be paid to the Bickerton Association. In reply I have to inform you that the above-mentioned subsidy will be payable on any subscriptions or contributions actually received by the association for the purpose of assisting Professor Bickerton in bringing before the scientific world his theory of " partial impact." I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Prime Minister. R. J. Ecroyd, Esq., Secretary, Bickerton Association, Trades Hall, Christchurch.

(Telegram.) Sir Joseph Ward, Wellington. Christchurch, 24th June, 1910. Lord Dudley cheque to hand to Bickerton Association. Total collected, with promises, £280. Bickerton desires to leave on Thursday next. Please give association instruction how we are to administer funds and how to collect subsidy. Howard. Trades Hall, Christchurch.

(Telegram.) — Howard, Esq., Trades Hall, Christchurch. Wellington, 25th June, 1910. In reply to your telegram re Bickerton Association, I shall be glad if you will forward a certified list of subscribers and amounts actually received as contributions to the fund, and on receipt I will arrange for payment of Government subsidy of £1 for £1. Please inform me name of the bank and account in which deposit should be lodged. J. G. Ward.

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(Telegram.) Sir Joseph Ward, Wellington. Christchurch, 30th June, 1910. Bickerton Fund fully subscribed, and lodged in Bank of New Zealand. Certified lists posted to-day. Can we draw on funds we have collected to meet expenses ? Howard, President Trades Council and Trustee funds.

(Telegram.) — Howard, Esq., Trades Hall, Christchurch. Wellington, Ist July, 1910. Be your telegram of 30th June respecting Bickerton Association, do not quite understand your inquiry as to drawing on funds. The sums collected are at the disposal of the association. The subsidy of £1 for £1 will, of course, be paid by Government on amount actually collected, irrespective of amounts expended. J. G. Ward.

Sir, — The Bickerton Association, Box 535, Christchurch, 2nd July, 1910. In reply to your wire re subsidy to funds of the above association, I have the honour to enclose certified list of the amount subscribed to date. The funds are in the Bank of New Zealand .in the name of the Bickerton National Shilling Fund. Professor Bickerton purposes to leave for Home on the 7th instant if all arrangements can be made. Awaiting your favourable reply re subsidy, the association would deem it a favour if you would notify them immediately the subsidy is available. Yours, &c, R. J. Ecroyd, The Premier, Sir J. G. Ward. Secretary for Association. P.S. —Am sending under separate cover original lists returned to me. —R. J. E.

The Bickerton Association National Shilling Fund Subscription List.

I hereby certify that this list is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, and the total sum collected is £307 7s. Id. R. J. Ecroyd, Secretary. Signed and declared to be correct in my presence, this 2nd day of July, 1910. Chas. Allison, Mayor of Christchurch.

(Telegram.) Sir Joseph Ward, Wellington. Christchurch, 7th July, 1910. Regret troubling you. Will subsidy be available in time for Professor Bickerton to leave this week? Howard. Trades Hall.

List-numbers. Amount. List-numbers. Amount. List-numbers. Amount. \_ 32 46 109 134 207 313 324 329 347 348 364 375 377 402 424 428 504 537 585 699 757 769 841 857 861 s. d. 2 0 4 6 3 0 3 0 20 0 18 3 11 6 6 0 13 0 28 0 10 0 21 0 5 0 40 0 30 0 9 0 1 0 8 0 1 0 5 0 2 0 5 0 4 4 1 0 17 0 1085 1109 1117 1124 1126 1131 1143 1153 1170 1175 1178 1181 1194 1206 1203 1207 1326 1708 1710 1723 1742 1782 1827 1853 1882 and 1705 s. d. 1 0 3 0 80 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 10 0 31 0 4 0 3 0 6 0 10 0 2 0 7 0 3 0 10 0 6 0 25 6 15 0 7 6 6 0 4 0 6 0 10 0 18 0 : s. d. 1902 .. .. 3 0 1903 .. .. I 4 0 1937 .. .. 5 0 2153 .. . . 20 0 2437 .. .. 20 0 3071 .. ..20 3072 .. .. 9 0 3076 .. .. 2 6 3077 .. .. 31 0 3078 .. .. 10 0 3079 .. .. 95 6 3081 .. .. 5 0 3083 .. .. 10 0 3084 .. .. 7 0 3185 .. .. 'l8 6 3186 .. .. 5 0 3187 .. .. 2 0 3188 .. .. 4,752 6 3189 .. .. 472 0 3190 .. .. 3 6 3191 .. .. 121 0 Total No. of shillings 6,147 1

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Office of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Sir,— Wellington, ilth'July, 1910. Referring to previous correspondence, 1 have the honour, by direction of the Minister, to inform you that a voucher has been approved for the payment of the sum of three hundred pounds (£300) as subsidy of £1 for £1 on subscriptions received in aid of the Bickerton National Shilling Fund. The above amount will be paid to the credit of the above-named fund at the Bank of New Zealand at Christchurch. 1 have, &c, Hugh Pollen, Under-Secretary. R. J. Ecroyd, Esq., Secretary to the Bickerton Association, Post-office Box No. 535, Christchurch.

Dear Sir, Post-office, Barcaldine, Queensland, 11th July, 1910. Will you kindly inform me per return mail whether you have forwarded me the necessary papers for me to sign in reference to the transfer of £1,000 on my account to the Bickerton Fund 1 If the papers have not been'sent I shall be glad if you will be good enough to explain the reasons. Possibly the papers have been stolen. Unfortunately, this would not have been the first tune valuable documents belonging to me have been stolen in transmission through the Post Office. You can readily understand how anxious I am to know if you have forwarded the papers m terms of, my letter to vou of the 25th April last. I sincerely trust Professor Bickerton will have an opportunity of demonstrating his cosmic evolution theory. No work of an educational nature will have such a vast influence for good as the work you have in hand, which will be demonstrated through Professor Bickerton, provided you have the grit to follow the plough, having taken the handle. . You may or may [not?] believe me that I am absolutely certain unseen forces are assisting Professor Bickerton, although he may be (and I believe he is) unconscious of the fact. Waiting the favour of vour replv, I am > <tec -> W. F. Aplin. The Hon. George Fowlds, Minister of Education, Wellington, New Zealand.

g IB _ Education Department, Wellington, 21st July, 1910. In reply to vour letter of the 11th instant, I have the honour, by direction of the Minister of Education, to inform vou that it is not proposed to take any action on your letters of the 25th April and 30th May last. l have, &c 1 E. O. Gibbes, Secretary for Education. W. F. Aplin, Esq., Post-office, Barcaldine, Queensland. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not siven; printing (1,400 copies), £1 17s 6d.

By Authority : John Mackav, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9lo.

Price, 3d.]