War Fund Frauds.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15453, 4 December 1915, Page 10

War Fund Frauds.

Recent cable messages have conveyed the' disagreeable impression that of the hugo bums given for patriotic and benevolent objects during the war, a certain proportion has gone to enrich a certain number of human harpies and vultures who arc .mean enough, and wicked enough, to pervert the generosity of the public to their own profit. Tho New Zealand Parliament has very properly passed an Act restricting the collcction of war funds to persons duly authorised ■by somo responsible authority, and providing for all such funds to be audited by a Government auflitor. Wo believe that the measure was not passed before it was needed. As to tho French Relief Fund, which figures unfavourably in this cablc messago to-

day, we may mention that we were asked to open, an appeal in its behalf in our columns. "We declined this, and a number of other similar applications, believing that it was our duty, for the protection of our readers, who have always responded very generously to our call, to keep the appeals to their benevolence within certain narrow and well-defined limits. We restricted ourselves to helping certain funds which were vouched for by unimpeachable authority, and of which tho need was patent. There were undoubtedly 6ome excellent appeals to which it was hard to refuse admission to our columns, but we came to the conclusion it was better to concentrate e'ffort on a few funds which were undeniably doing good work, rather than attempt to cover too wide a field. The lied Cross Fund, the Patriotic Fund, the Belgian and Serbian Relief Funds, each and all deserve and require all tho support ive can give them, and if New Zealanders contribute liberally to these, and look after tho comfort of our troops in the field they will not do badly.