WAR RELIEF FUND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 196, 1 June 1934, Page 3

WAR RELIEF FUND

THE ASHBURTON ORGANISATION.

MUCH WORK STILL TO BE DONE. j REVIEW OF YEAR’S ACTIVITIES. The annual meeting of subscribers to the Ashburton County War Relief Fund was held last evening, when the chairman (Air E. H. On - ) presided. The annual report, presented by the chairman, said ,that the fund had completed nineteen years of very helpful work on behalf of returned soldiers. The amount of £728 was spent by way of assistance to soldiers and dependants during the year, and the total assistance during the nineteen years amounted to £32,378. When it was considered that the original amount raised was approximately £25,1)00, members could congratulate past and present executive committees for the maimer in which the funds had been handled.

“Our funds are still being used in a manner consistent with the expressed objects of the fund when incorporated, although due regard must be given to the altered conditions under which soldiers are now living,” the report continued. “These altered conditions have made it necessary for the comimittee to interpret the ‘objects of the fund’ in a fairly broad manner, and while consideration is being given to cases coming forward, the need for conserving the fund is not lost sight of. *

“It is realised that as each year passes there is no diminishing of the number of applications and now, after almost sixteen years since the cessation of hostilities, numerous cases of war-time injuries are manifesting themselves, and the need for a fund such as ours becomes more apparent. Our payments by way of assistance this - year is greater than those of last by £214. “The National War Funds Council, realising the distress due to unemployment, has made grants toward the relief of hardship not associated with war service and, with the assistance of the R.S.A., the amounts so granted are expended in a manner which should he considered as highly satisfactory by those participating in the benefits of the scheme. “With the alteration of the scheme of assisting soldiers from other centres, whereby only disabled men are assisted by the fund concerned, the others being assisted from the grants made by the National War Funds Council, the amount of correspondence between- kindred societies has lessened. We wish to record our appreciation of the assistance rendered to-this fund by other societies, both in dealing with our charges resident in their areas and the manner of their dealing with their charges whose cases we represent to them.

Cases of Breakdown. “With the passing of the years, many cases of breakdown are being brought forward.” the report added. “These disabilities are very often difficult to ascribe to actual war service, but the medical officers of the Pension Department give very sympathetic consideration to the cases coming before them, and both the Pensions Boaid and the Pensions Appeal Board are giving the same sympathetic consideration. In cases in which we have been interested during the past year we cannot but record our appreciation of th Work of the Department. “The Press has been anxious at all times to give publictiy to matters of interest to returned soldiers, and while reports of our meetings, from the nature of the business done, must be necessarily curtailed, we wish to express our thanks for the regularity of the inquiry for .information on the work accomplished. ( , “It is wtih great' regret that we have to report the death of tho fund s first chairman (Mr R. Galbraith), who performed a great work for returne soldiers and the fund for a period of 15 years. He was chairman of the fund from its commencement until his removal from Ashburton. Indifferent health has been responsible for the absence from our meetings of three very valuable workers, namely, Mr I* - Z D Ferriman, Mi' J. Watson, and Mr T. Hayes-. While Air Ferriman was better known to returned soldiers as a worker in their interests, both Mr Watson and Mr Hayes have rendered valuable and lengthy service through their association with this fund, and wo record our appreciation of mi service over a period of 19 years* “Messrs AV. H. Bundle, H. Moms, J Cook, and R. M. Dunlop have been appointed members of the executive committee during the year, and t committee is fortunate m ‘ assistance of such able and well-known gentlemen to assist m the work bem o done, • “As a kindred society our nearest neighbour is the Ashburton Returned Soldiers’ Association. We wish to express our appreciation of the - very cordial relations existing between that Association and this Fund. Aloic paiticularly do we thank them for the conduct of the scheme for assisting the unemployed returned soldiers, m executive committee haying the ntmos confidence in the secietaiy (P-i • Hickman) and the members of the .Returned Soldiers’ Association executive. “Our work is just as important today as it was in the days immediately following the demobilisation of our troops and we wish to thank all who assist us in the conduct of that woik, the report concluded. The financial statement showed that receipts for the year were as follow: Balance at beginning of year, £46 os 7d, interest £315 7s, other societies £l7B, refufid £2, deposit £l2oo, hank overdraft £175 14s lid; total £U6< 8s 6d. Items of expenditure were grants and relief £728 15s sd, other societies £IBO 18s 4d, expenses £56 Is 6d, deposit £IOOO, interest and charges £1 13s 3d. The balance-sheet showed the following figures:—Liabilities: Bank £175 14s lid, other societies £4B 18s 3d, balance genera! func.s account £BOBS 6s lOcl. Assets: Borough debentures £SOOO, deposit £6OO, Government stock £IBOO, loans £S4O, interest £7O. The chairman stated that the grants

for relief were a little higher than in the previous year. This was accounted, 'for by tlie assistance given to the Returned Soldiers’ Association in carrying out their subsidy scheme for unemployed returned men. Otherwise, the grants were about the same as previously given. He commented on the sound position of the Fund, which, he emphasised, was fulfilling a useful purpose. Colonel J. Findlay, Alessrs J. Watson, G. S. Hardy, and AV. H. Robinson were re-elected to the vacancies on the committee and Mr J. AV. Bowden was re-appointecl auditor. Atotes of thanks were passed to,the chairman and ‘to the secretary (Mi D. H. Aloore).