PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26396, 14 April 1951, Page 2

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

MAGISTRATE’S REMARKS CRITICISED (New Zealand Press Association) HAMILTON, April 13. Strong condemnation of commenton the use of national patriotic funds made by Mr W. C. Harley, S.M., in Kaitaia this week was contained in a statement made to-day by the Mayor of Hamilton (Mr H. D. Caro),,who is chairman of the Waikato Patriotic Council and also chairman of the Hamilton Patriotic Welfare Committee. Mr Caro said that at a meeting of the welfare committee last evening a resolution was passed unanimonsly asking hijn to reply to the remarks of Mr Harley. The Magistrate was reported to have said that as far as most injured men were concerned the patriotic money might just as well be buried, said Mr Caro.

“This is an unwarranted slur on the whole patriotic organisation throughout New Zealand, and if his remarks apply to his own xlistrict they certainly do not apply elsewhere,” said Mr Carp. “As chairmen of the Waikato council and the Hamilton comI can say that no reasonable request for assistance has ever been turned down in this area. “We have received hundreds of requests for assistance, and after investigation if a man is considered to have a case he is helped to the limit. We have paid out thousands of pounds for assistance in a wide variety of ways. Surely Mr Harley does not expect money that has been provided by the people to assist those in need to be disbursed indiscriminately without any investigation of the need. “Special welfare committees are operating in most centres in the Waikato, so that personal investigation can be made on the spot, and the committees have authority to make immediate grants up to £2O. Anything over that has to come before the council, but if it is recommended by the committee it invariably is approved. The only investigation that is made is to see that the money so generously subscribed is not thrown away m an undesirable way. The slur cast S? .to?, me s who g lv « up so much of their time for nothing to help deserving cases is unwarranted.”