REGIMENTAL FUNDS

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 147, 21 June 1917, Page 4

REGIMENTAL FUNDS

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A proposal that the Auckland Patriotic Association should makT , , monthly grants f or a c ot regimental funds for the * units in the firing line was m^" lo^ time being, the TJominiTSft under which retru'ar ™„J_. scaen ie. parcels had • ffttJjgTf «• use and benefit of the Krt l&J? It was proposed to substitute "S n C ln\, em to the «»mZS of Auckland units for expenditure te providing comforts for then- %?& W omens League, she explained, j2 present had no funds, and the executive, though ij was prepared to S a campaign to raise money, hoped that the Patriotic Association would consider the making ot regular grants tot the purpose. , s

Mrs. F. E. Baume stated that a remittance of £100 a month' would amount to something like 6d per man* so that to make the scheme of realuse rather more would have to be raised, ihere had been more dissatisfaction among the Auckland units than amone other troops over the non-delivery rf parcels, because the Auckland units had no regimental funds out of which deficiencies could be made good. That was why Auckland had been the first province to give up the parcel scheme The Canterbury Patriotic League was sending away £100 a month, the (Haeo League £1,000 a year, and the Welling ton League (she believed) about £100 a month. The people of the Hauraki d J.f?™ j™* forw *rded altogether about £1,400 to the front for the benefit of their own men. She suggested -that some of the association's funds at present tied up in London might be diverted for the purpose, by an application to the High Commissioner. After the deputation had retired, Mr. A, G. Lunn moved that the executive express its full sympathy with the scheme, and that the Women's Patriotic League be asked to furnish concrete proposals for consideration.

Mr. H. Horton moved, as an amendment, that in order to tide over the interval before the league could obtain sufficient funds from the public, a grant of £300 a month be made for tiro months.

The president (Mr. J. H. Gunson)' read an extract from the constitution showing that the executive had no power to make a grant for the purpose from the main patriotic fund, which had been subscribed for the benefit of sick and wounded soldiers and their dependents alone. To do so he added, it would be necessary to call meetings of subscribers to all the amalgamated funds, and having obtained their sanction, to apply to the Minister to have the constitution -altered. Under present conditions the only thing to do was to make a grant from the local relief fund. Mr. V. J. Lamer, as president of the local relief committee, said that he was between two fires, because he was thoroughly in sympathy with the making of a grant, and yet could not see'how the money could fairly be-taken from* the fund for local relief, which was likely to have heavy calls upon it when, the calling-up of the Second Division began. He thought that it was time the executive took steps to have the constitation broadened.

The amendment, together with. another (moved by Mr. Wesley Spraggl in favour of one grant of £300, was put and lost, and Mr. Lunn's motion, was then carried.