WHAT'S THE GAME?

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 278, 22 November 1915, Page 4

WHAT'S THE GAME?

OUR PATRIOTIC FUNDS. GOVERNMENTS INTENTIONS. MAYOB CALLS " HANDS OFF!" WON'T UNDERTAKE STATE OBLIGATIONS. The proceedings Of the recent Cooferjnce held in Wellington between memsers of the Government and representatives of the various Patriotic lunds oi the Dominion, ostensibly called merely to consider matters of joint interest in regard to administration, assumed a character that apparently has given rise to grave fears on the part of the Auckland executive as to the intentions of the Government. Auckland has now practically succeeded in raising a magniScent sum of a qnarter of a million wherewith to supplement the State's reward to our returned heroes, and to compensate and care for the bereaved dependents of the killed, and, naturally, any apparently veiled attempt on the part Of the Government to either assume control of the funds or direct them into ihannels that will relieve peculiarly State responsibility, will be jealously combated by those who have given repeated assurances to the public that the moneys will only be expended for the purposes for which they were specially subscribed. MEANING Of THE CONFERENCE. Mr. E. A. Craig, one of the treasurers of the Auckland fund, represented this district at the Wellington conference, md obviously, until his personal report is to hand, the full import and character of the proceedings «an only be surmised oy the telegraphed report. The nature oi this, however, was such as to call for the immediate consideration of those officially placed in connection with the Auckland fund, and to-day the Mayor <Mr. J. H. Gunson) made a comprehensive statement to a " Star" reporter nith a view to allaying any apprehension that may have been aroused in the public mind. * The statement was &. particularly timely one, coming as it does at the commencement of Auckland's final effort to raise a fund adequate to the grave responsibilities of the future. "It is quite apparent, from several phases of the report from Wellington, which arc calculated to considerably mislead the public, that something even at this stage should be said." observed Mr. 3unson. " In the first place, the figures siven in the tables showing the amounts spent and in the hands of the various districts are quite inaccurate as far as Auckland is concerned. The sum of £90,606 is shown as having been distributed. This is altogether erroneous., for no such sum has been disbursed. Then, again, the amount shown in hand £36,000. is incorrect, for about the time of the amalgamation of the funds of the Hospital Ship and Patriotic Association?, no —less-" a Aum CthanvfapprOximately £55,000 was in hand, and since then the amount has enormously increased. Tho disbursements all told totalled very little in excess of £20.000. and particulars of this have been published from time to "time. It may be opportunely repeated that this includes the subscriptions to the equipment of the Maheno and the Marama, amounting to £10.250, anil a further large amount of £5.000 forwarded to the Government. The balance as been disbursed in fulfilling the objectof the old league and of the new Association. The expenses of administration are very light indeed, as I stated previously, and £500 a year up to the present will cover them." CAUSE FOR SUSPICION. "The Minister is reported to hare stated at the outset of the conference that he disclaimed any intention on the part of the Government to 'collar , the Patriotic Funds." continued the Mayor. "If there is no intention on the part oi tbi Government to interfere with the fund, why dees it call a conference! The respective Patriotic Committees oi the Dominion can quite well administei these funds, they hold the confidence ol the public, and there should he no interference on the part of the Minister oi the Government. However, in view oi the fact that the conference was called it was necessary that Auckland should be represented to protect the district against any move that might be made in this direction. "'The peopie of the province have subscribed the money on the clear understanding that it'should be left to the local Association to administer, and. as I understand the position, the Government has no power whatever under the War Funds Act or any oihei Act, to appropriate the Patriotic Funds Ihe position in Auckland is that the whole province is unified, and possesses one big amalgamated fund, which will be administered by the central Associatior and the various district committees." ax , advisory board. The Mayor next made an allusion tc the schedule of .benefits discussed by the Conference, and pointed out that while this would have to come before the Auckland executive it should be Temem bered that a schedule already had been prepared with the concurrence of the country centres. "In connection with the Provincial Patriotic Funds- of the Dominion," continued Mr. Gunson, "it seems to mc that what is required at the present time is a Dominion Advisory Board to frame general regulations for the prevention oi overlapping and securing somt imformity \ n regard to scale of benefits. In my opinion, the question oi the administration of the War Funds 4ct has nothing whatever to do with this, and the public, can rest assured that the Auckland fund will be preserved intact for the purposes for which it was created, and that no Government interference will be acceptable to Ac public Unttl the times comes for the reconsideration of the present policy no departure will be made from the one already adopted " The Mayor was most emphatic in his declaration, in regard to the suggestion that the money of the wounded fund should be appropriated for additions to the incomes of soldiers, whether on sernee or discharged, that so far as Auckland was concerned only wounded oi sick men and their dependents would seaefit. Alluding to the suggestion oi the Minister that £6000 bS devoted monthly lor the purchase of comforts W I w ° un ft a, J the r Served that the Auckland Women's Patriotic League already had this matter in hand md had sent substantial amounts in sash and a considerable quantity oi material, to the sick and wounded, both here and abroad. "But the Government must accept responsibility entirely for the adequate remuneration of the soliieTS, for ration allowances, and for

; otter Oiwrgee M that kiaa.'-jWw,-ally declared the president of tke j&Z ci&tioti, "and to suggest that thfe Pktrv tic Fund should be attached forth* m. jpOse Of augmenting these amoßflfe X v course that will be stoutly resists v, Auckland."' ' ™ GOVERNMENT RESPOXSIBILItY "The responsibility oi the Goviramjji in this matter should not be slirfai and ia my opinion their tempt to in some way appropriate ttf i Patriotic Fund is to be deprecated Uthe fullest extent. Upon the returfrot' the Auckland delegate a fuller stiii. ment will be made in regard to tie policy to be pursued by the Auckland Provincial Association. ' In the aeMtime, donors who have already coatfj. buted, and those who propose giving « connection with the big appeal-now b^ : fore the public, can rest assured tin' the interests of the fund will be fail-: 1 protected, not in any narrow or pitj. chial spirit, but in the interests of tit ; men, and while the money subscribed ia being held for a provincial fund it present, as stated in the recent toar 4{ the Platform Committee throughout tt( province, the time may come when thj nationalisation of the funds in thfe Dominion will be considered the bttt course to take. The most eignik cant thing about the conferene* ,is that many of the delegUy I resented the way in which their hiail I were being forced. Resolutions *ttt i brought down the import of wojeh t&ty i had no time to consider, and the ajj i confirms our Suspicions that theft iii I serious attempt to in some way cofr promise these funds." THE HELPING HAND. Speaking of the point made of tie necessity for the comparatively wealthy districts assisting the poorer ones; 3Jr. Gunson declared that Auckland Teeog-; nised. as well as any other centre, that men from all portions Of the DOttiflios : had a claim for universal sympathy md support, and if the time came whin there was necessity for assisting in thU • direction, Auckland would not fail to 4s j its duty. That juncture, howeTef, k»4 , not yet arrived, and when it did ttm \ there would be sufficient time to consider it. At present Auckland wai putting its own house in order, and is ttaa as the other provinces were unified Ifit j this district, then it would be tfnt.'tt' consider future policy from a Nitiwiil standpoint. ■■ ■ •