DEPLETION OF WAR FUNDS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21866, 20 August 1936, Page 7

DEPLETION OF WAR FUNDS

REPORT ON ALLOCATIONS MADE MEETING OF PATRIOTIC FUND An indication of the way in which the funds of the National War Funds Council were being depleted was given by the chairman of the Canterbury, Patriotic Fund (Mr H. Holland) at a meeting of the executive of the fund yesterday afternoon. Mr Holland presented a report of the proceedings of the council which he and Mr W. E. Leadley attended. In 1931 there was an excess of expenditure over income of £1737; in 1932 an excess of £8627;. in 1933. £854-7; in 1934, £11,890; in 1935, £12,784; and in 1936, £12,895. Since August, 1827. £85,471 had been spent in the relief of unemployed returned soldiers. The council had voted 15,000 as usual for relief of unemployed for the ensuing year. The Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parrv, presided for the early part of the council meeting and thanked the council and Patriotic Funds generally for 21 years service. The Minister said he was of three things: first, that as . long as there were funds there would be grumbling; second, that as long as there were funds there would be no lack of applicants for aid; arid third, that it should-be possible to r ® “V----cost of administration of funds, which averaged about 15 per cent. The Minister also stated that he favoured the establishment of two homes for veteran returned soldiers, one in the North Island and the other in the South Island. Mr Leadley, speaking of the Proposed homes, said that he personally favoured separate cottages of .the type used at Sandilands Settlement. He knew that many veterans strongly objected to the discipline and routine associated with homes. The Minister had agreed to visit the Sandilands cottages next time he was in Christchurch. , , x The council had decided to grant a sum of £9ll to the Returned Soldiers’ Association club at Christchurch, tile sum being the amount estimated for the renovating of the club building, which, it was stated, was badly in need of repair. The building, Mr Leadley explained, was the property of the council. The ordinary business of the fund included the presentation of the quarterly report, details of which have already been published. The report showed that grants for relief of distress had been made on a more generous scale than formerly.