PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 147, 21 June 1917, Page 8

PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION

HOSPITAL COMFORTS FUND. The monthly meeting of the executive of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association was held this afternoon. Mr. .1. 11. Ounson (president) was in the chair, and there were also present: Messrs. Y. J. Lamer (vicepresident), H. D. Heather, W. B. Leyland, C. Rhodes, Wesley Spragg. S. Mcilroy. E. A. Craig, and A. S. Bankart. .T. F. Ewen. N. A. Nathan. A. <i. Lunn. E. Phelan, J. S. Milne, and 11. Horton, and Mesdames J. H. Giiosoti and W. H. Parkes.

The chairman read correspondence with Colonel W. H. Parkes, director of New Zealand Military Hospitals, expressing great appreciation of the Association's decision to forward him £100 a month. '* From my experience of military hospitals." the writer stated, " I am aware of many extra comforts which will be highly appreciated, and are a fair and reasonable charge against a comfort fund, but which might not be approved by an association with no practical knowledge of hospital requirements. It is. therefore, in my opinion, highly desirable that the officer responsible for the administration of hospitals should have at bis disposal a fund for the purpose." Colonel Parkes added that he proposed to place the fund in the bands of three trustees —the Director of Medical Services, N.Z.HI., and the officers commanding Nos. I anil -1 N.Z. Genera) Hospitals, who. with himself, would he empowered to sign cheques. COMMITTER - REPORTS. The relief committee reported that since the previous report .">OO cases had been dealt with. 53 beinfr new. The amount distributed was t'Ttil "/:!. and £52 6/ was received in refunds. It was expected that as a result of the development of the Government's scheme of financial assistance to soldiers, the committee's burden would lie considerably lightened. The discharged soldiers' employment committee reported a considerable increase in applications since its last report of May !>. 48 new names having been put on its new register. Positions had been found for about .'ifi men. and about 50 men were still on the books. There was a difficulty in inducing men to accept jobs in country oflices and stores, eight of which were waiting to be filled. The Claims Board reported that it had dealt with 2(!.~> cases in the period under review, and-4iad disbursed £1.213 7/4. This compared with the last statement, showed n considerable increase in the number of cases dealt with (74). and also an increase in the average grants disbursed, the latter being accounted for by the fact that the Board had adopted a more liberal policy in respect to its grants to necessitous applicants. The majority of claims were from returned man, wounded at the Somme and at Armentiercs. The Board investigated 20 applications from returned soldiers, who were domiciled—previous to enlistment—in Southern districts. Their needs, with the Board's recommendation, were at once transmitted by telegraph to the Patriotic Societies responsible, with the result that practically in all cases the Board's recommendations were agreed to. VARIOUS MATTERS. Tt was decided to adopt a suggestion made by the committee of the Soldiers' Club, to the effect that the committee bo increased by the addition of two members of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association, and that Messrs. C. E. Waddingham and J. Mellings be appointed The action of Mr. V. J. Larncr, as local delegate to the Dominion \dvisorv Board, in agreeing to the forfeiting of one of the Auckland seats in favour of Gisborne. was approved. The president's proposal at the annual meeting, regarding the unification of patriotic funds, was referred to a committee consisting of the president • vice-president and treasurers, with a view to drawing up a remit to the Advisory Board. ■It was decided that it was not practicable to make a grant of .€'lso, requested by the Soldiers' Settlers' Association at Kereone, near Morrineville, towards the cost of erecting an amusement hall in their settlement. It was mentioned that other similar requests had been declined in the past. A similar request for funds for an officers' hut at Papawai musketry camp, near Featlierston, was also declined. Correspondence from the officer in charge of the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department, and from Mr. R. E. Fenton, a member of the Association's Discharged Soldiers' Employment Committee having "been read, it was decided to give effect to a proposed arrangement whereby Mr. Fenton should be in permanent charge of the office iv the Soldiers' Club, the Department making a grant of £16 a month towards the cost of running the office.