WAR RELIEF FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3011, 23 February 1917, Page 6

WAR RELIEF FUNDS

ADVISORY BOARD MEETS.

The Advisory-Board of the Federation of the New Zealand Patriotic AVar Relief Societies met in Wellington yesterday. Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp (Wellington) presided, and there were present also: The Hon. J. T. Paul (Otago), Messrs. Snodgrass (Nelson), Harding (Hawke's Bay)j> Grimniond (Westland), M'Dougall (Carterton), Kirkwood (Taranaki), Larner (Auckland), Pollard (Marlborough), Gilkison (Southland), and Hope Gibbons (Wangauui). / An appeal which the Salvation Army had made, to the Auckland Patriotic Committee for assistance to raise £4500, which they had already spent, was discussed. .

TheA'.M.C.'A. asked for contributions of £3000 per month. Mr. Larner (Auckland) said the Federation should stick to its own job, and let the Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army get the money direct from the public.

The Hon. J. T. Paul said the T. 31. C.A. claim for £3000 a month was unreasonable, but he thought they should get something. Wellington and Canterbury took up the position that they could not vote money for the men in the trenches, but' could vote it for the sick and wounded.

Taranaki said that it had.found it impossible to comply with like requests. It was resolved: "That this Advisory Board regrets it is compelled to decline the request of the V.M.C.A. and the Salvation Army for a joint contribution froni patriotic funds, as so niany of the affiliated societies are working under, different constitutions, which preclude the giving of money for the objects named."

The subject of the separation allowance to widowed mothers was discussed.

Mr. Snodgrass (Nelson), who thought that the capital limit should be waived, moved that representations should be made to the Government to see if somo rqadjustment could be arrived at. This was carried.

The Minister oi Jinrcncn wrote in respect of the extra comforts for soldiers that, in a report from General Richardson, it was stated that the War Contingent Association send to every man in. hospital arriving hi England the following articles:—ltazor 6d., shaving brush 4d., tooth brush 3Jd., hair brush ( ls. 6d., pipe 6d., stamps 3d., underpants 45., socks (pair) Is. 2d., blacking brushes Gd., blacking tin Id., strop Bd., shaving soap 6d., tooth paste 3d., comb 4d., writing paper 4d., singlet 4s. (id., handkerchiefs 3Jd., shirt 6s. 2d., polishing brushes Is. Some of those seemed to the Minister to be articles which slionld be supplied from the Comforts to Sick and Wounded Fund, and he sought the opinion of the board, so that instructions could bo given to avoid overlapping. The board resolved to inform the Minister that it considered underpants, singlets, socks, and sbirts should be supplied by the Government.