WAR RELIEF ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2651, 23 December 1915, Page 3

WAR RELIEF ASSOCIATION

MR. S. P. WILLS APPOINTED SECRETARY. Messrs. Wm. Ferguson - (chairman), L. M. Rearden, A. Macintosh, J. Lewis, J. Hutcheson, ii. J. Colley C M. Luke, J. P. Luke, and L. 0. H. APPP"'®™ present at a meeting of the' War Relief Association held yesterday afternoon. , The chairman said that he'had nothing further to report regarding Mrs. Boden's scheme to establish a hostel for soldiers in Wellington, as there had' been no communication from the Minister. Mr. J. P.-Luke (a trustee) said that the sum of £500 had been transferred to 'the account of the executive at the National Bank, and the balance would ■ be transferred now that the Hon. J. G.' W. Aitken had returned to Wellington. It. was decided to ask the trustees to transfer £500 also to the imprest account for-immediate requirements. The ohairman suggested that Mr. C. M. Luke's experience on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board would make his services very valuable to the Relief Committee, and, Mr. Luke consenting, he was appointed to the committeo. Mr. D. Ewen was appointed to take Mr. Luke's place on the Finance Committee.

_ The consideration of the scale of relief was postponod_ until the first -meeting of the association in the New Year. 3 Mr. J. Hutcheson reported on the deputation to the Minister of Marino with respect to the terms of employment and the pensions positionof tho crews and officers'of hospital and troopships. The Minister of Marine was greatly interested'in the question, nhd' promised to do what he could in- the matter. Ho advised them to see the Defence Minister (Hon. Jas. Allen) on his return to" Wellington, as the transports' and hospital - ships were under bis direction. They had so far been unable to see the Minister of Defence,, but'he, had expressed his sympathy in regard to the matter ; through his secretary, and had promised to go into tho .question'.with them after the holidays. The chairman expressed'the thanks of the association to Messrs.' Hutcheson and Tripp for their interest in the matter, and asked them to carry on the work.

\ Mr. S. P. Wills, at present . accountant to the Goldberg Advertising Agency,'was appointed' secretary of the association, out of many applicants, at a. salary of, £300 a year. Mr. Wills, who is tho son of Captain Wills, is the treasurer of the Wellington Cricket Association, and a well-known member of the Wellington College Old Boys', Club. After leaving; College*. he was for sis years with the. Government Lifo Insurance Department, and was' subsequently accountant; for the / Carrara .Ceiling Co., the Ilott Advertising Agency, and' latterly, the Goldberg Advertising Agency.