PATRIOTIC FUND.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20835, 20 April 1933, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUND.

WORK FOR SOLDIERS.

EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. The annual, meeting of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund was held yesterday. Mr H.. Holland, M.P., presided and others present were Messrs Cyrus Williams, R. H. Cuthbert, W. E. Leadley, C. W. Hervey, A. C. Maxwell, F. W. Hobbs, G. A. Hayden, J. S. Simpson, and the Rev. F. T. Read. The annual report stated that since the inception of the fund in 1914, a total of £358,427 18s 2d had been received from all sources, of which £329,487 lfis 5d had been expended, leaving a balance of £28,940 Is 9d, comprised of:— £ k. d. Accumulated Fund .. 28,111 6 1 Special Funds .. 190 13 0 Rannerdate Trust Accounts . • 218 16 .1 War Expanses Department Trusts . • 39 13 3 Harriet Butt Fund ... 379 13 4 £28,940 1 9

After deducting the cost of Rannerdale Home (less depreciation), £4512 4s 3d, and trusts accounts, £B2B 15s Bd, there remained available for distribution £23,599 Is lOd. Maintenance of the buildings and grounds at Kannerdale was the responsibility of the fund, the expenditure on which during the last year, including depreciation,- amounted to £293 38s Bd. The sum of £3GOI 14s 9d had been expended during the current year on {.rants for relief, of which £2326 14s 8d was disbursed on account of and recovered l'rom other similar organisations '.

A Generous Bequest. In September last the fund was advised of a generous bequest under the will of Mrs Harriet Butt, of Christchurch, which provided "the sum of £BOO to be expended in such manner as tsftaU be deemed fit for the benefit of soldiers resident in the provincial district of Canterbury suffering physical disabilities as a result of their services in the war of 1914-18 against Germany and her allies," and a further sum of £4OO, which was subject to a lile tenancy, making a total benefit to the fund of £I2OO. It had been decided to set aside the amount as a special fund for disabled soldiers, to be expended at the discretion of the Applications and Finance Committees, in accordance with the terms of the will, and within the limits of expenditure laid down by the executive. Income and Expenditure.

The total income and expenditure of the fund for the year was as follows: — £ s. d. Receipts from all sources fi,63(> 16 8 Total expenditure .. 7,544 1 8 Total cash handled £14,180 18 4 • The income received from all sources for the year was as follows: — £ s. d. Interest . ■ • • 938 12 C Refunds from other societies, loans, and Pensions Department 4,958 0 0 Special funds. and trust accounts . .. 112 10 6 Harriet Butt Fund . . 466 13 4 Donations to Rannerdale Home . . . 16 15 7 Tai Tapu fund transferred .. • - 144 4 9 £6636 16 8 The net differences between the total receiots and total payments for the last, nine years, which had been debited to the accumulated fund, were as follows: — £ s. d. 1925 .. .. 2507 14 3 1926 .. .. 1503 8 8 1927 .. 1912 10 5 1923 .. .. 2817 4 11 1929 .. •• 2365 1 8 1930 .. -• 1725 17 1 1931 . -• 1954 5 5 19.32 .. .. 2520 18 1 1933 .. •• 907 5 0

Omitting ioans outstanding, a total of £251,881 has been expended in relief, of which £3602 was expended through the fund in 1933. Individual payments made by the fund numbered 1790 during the year, on account of the following:— £ s. d. Relief, etc. .. • • 3601 14 9 Maintenance, Rannerdale Home, etc. .. . - 2905 9 0 £6507 3 9 Work of Three Years. The following table indicated the detailed work of the office for the last three years:— 1931 1932 1933 Individual payments 2034 1934 1790 Applications dealt with by committee 981 1090 10C2 Interviews (secre-

tary'e office) .. 1451 1424 1438 Cases dealt with by correspondence, etc. 3371 4790 5732 Correspondence (outwards only) .. 3868 4382 4380 Committee meetings 45 45 43

A Special Fund.

The remainder of the special fund of £IOOO anonymously given, and set aside as a special fund for the benefit of disabled Canterbury soldiers in North Canterbury hospitals, sanatoria or homes, or their dependents, now stood at £l5O 4s 6d. Payments from this account during the year amounted to £BO. • Interest had been credited to this account from the general fund. The National War Funds Council contribijted £ll4O during the year for the relief of unemployment, of which £ll2O was paid to the Returned Soldiers' Association for disbursement. Thanks were offered all patriotic societies and Government departments, and especially the secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association, for their assistance. Appreciation was expressed of the painstaking work of the secretary, Mr R. T. Tosswill, and his staff.

Rannerdale Home.

Since the Rannerdale Home was established in 1921, 147 men have been admitted, of whom 23 had died, and 103 had been discharged. During the last year the highest monthly average number of patients had been 21.00, and the lowest 10.97, which figure was due to the Christmas vacation. The average for the year was 16.35. During the year two inmates died at a result of war injuries. The maintenance cost for each patient a week since the inception of the home has varied from a maximum of £4 8s 2d during the first year, when conducted by the Defence Department, to the minimum of £2 14s 5d last year. The cost for the year ended March 31, 1933, was £2 17s Bd. The committee, on behalf of the men, again expressed thanks to all those who had generously supplied the inmates with monetary gifts, flowers, and magazines, and provided motorcars for their recreation. The committee again places on record its appreciation of Matron Chamberlain and her staff in the conduct of the home.

Drain on the Fund,

Mr Holland, in moving the adoption of the annual report, expressed thanks to the executive and officers for their work during 18 years. He was sure, he said, that the general public would like to express thanks to the various committees which had worked without fee or reward. More men were breaking up now than had been anticipated, and there would probably be a still greater drain on the fund.

Mr Hobbs seconded the motion. He said that it was extremely distressing

that so long after, the war. men who had .given great service to the Dominion were showing the effects of that service.

Mr Maxwell referred to Rannerdale Home, stating that excellent work wag being done for the men there. One of the greatest benefactors had been Mrs A. E. G. Rhodes. Her death had been a great blow to the men, and to all connected with the home. The report was adopted. Election of Officers. The following officers were elected: —Chairman. Mr H. Holland, M.P.: deputy-chairman, Mr Cyrus Williams; executive, Mr H. Holland, M.P. (chairman), the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), Messrs J. O. Coop, W. A. Carpenter, R. A. Cuthbert, J. J. Dougall, H. Fleck, and E. F. Willcox (Returned Soldiers' Association), C. W. Hervey G. Hight, F. W. Hobbs, C. I. Jennings, H. Kitson, W. E. Leadley, A. C. Maxwell, H. A. Miller, J. S. Neville, J. S. Priest, J. S. Simpson, F. E. Sutton (Lyttelton Borough Council), R. T. Tosswill, F. M.Warren, E.R.Webb, C. J. R. Williams, and the Rev. F. T. Read; finance committee, Mr C. J. R. Williams (chairman), the Mayor of Christchurch, Messrs R. A. Cuthbert, J. J. Dougall, C. W. Hervey, F. W. Hobbs, H. Holland, M.P., H. Fleck (Returned Soldiers' Association), H. Kitson, A. C. Maxwell, J. S. Neville, R. T. Tosswill, F. M. Warren, E. R. Webb, and the Rev. F. T. Read; applications committee, the Rev. F. T. Read (chairman), Miss E. J. M. Cardale, Messrs F. W. Hobbs, H. Holland, M.P., W. E. Leadley, A. C. Maxwell. T. W. Reese, R. T. Tosswill, C. J. R. Williams, E. F. Willcox (Returned Soldiers' Association); committee of management, Rannerdale Home, Mrs H. Holland, representing the Lady Liverpool Fund, Messrs A. C. Maxwell, F. W. Hobbs, E. R. Webb, E. F. Willcox, Mrs H. H. Smith and Mr C. J. Ronaldson (representing the Red Cross Society); honorary treasurer, Mr J. S, Neville; honorary solicitors, Messrs J. J. Dougall, Son, and Hutchison; auditor, Mr H. Bicknell.

Mr Robert Harden, Bath's oldest inhabitant, died recently in his one hundred and fourth year. He was born in the reign of William IV. He could remember the last public hanging at Taunton, and the first train to reach Bridgwater. He never missed voting at an election.