HEAVY DEMANDS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 182, 28 April 1921, Page 9

HEAVY DEMANDS

ON WAR RELIEF ASSOCIATION THE QUESTION OF LOANS POLICY TO BE CONSIDERED To judge by the reports presented at yesterday’s meeting of the executive of the Wellington War Relief Association the demands which continue to be made upon the funds are heavy, and give rise to problems requiring the serious consideration of the association. The executive meeting was presided over by Mr. C. M. Luke. The other members present were Messrs. J. Lewis and A, MTntosh. The Applications Committee reported that since March 21 it had dealt with 219 applications. The total number of claims received during the period March 21 to April 27 was 389, comprising 69 new applications and 320 renewals and reconsiderations. Of the new applications, the local association was responsible for 29, and other societies were responsible for 38. In addition there were one Imperial and one Canadian case. There were still 170 cases under action; of these, iho local association was responsible for 91, including four Imperial and two Canadian cases. Tho remaining 73 were the responsibilty of other societies. Claimants Demobilised “Fit A.” “Your committee has again to record an exceedingly heavy increase in the number of applications received from men demobilised Fit A, but now shown to be suffering war disability,” the report stated. “This is the result of those concerned having declared themselves fit to the'medical board on the transport prior to disembarkation on return to New Zealand; the cause, in most cases, being a natural desire to, return to their relatives, and, after a, holiday, to resume civilian life. Had the 'men stated their disability they would have received medical treatment prior to discharge, and quite possibly would not now find it so dificult to recover their health. Your committee have made .provision for cases of this naturo, together with those of permanent, total, or partial disablement, by your adoption of their recommendation that threefourths of your total financial resources should be invested under a separate fund for the benefit of these men and their dependants. In view of the frequent loss of civil earnings attendant upon a relapse in health, to '•which a steadily increasing number of amputation cases, or of mon who were badly wounded, are becoming subjected, it is obviops that claims from these men will, during the next few years, show an even greater increase than has occurred since the armistice,

“There is no alteration in respect to the almost endless diversity of the applications being presented to your committee. and although there is a small reduction in the average number of claims received, it is much more difficult to deal with them now, partly because of the lapse of time since the armistice —. rendering it difficult to establish (a) the actual degree of physical impairment, and (b) the resultant financial losS attributable to war service, and partly because they are generally of a much more complex nature than they used to be. “Owing to geographical position, the services rendered by your committee to other societies again shows a heavy increase. whilst claims for assistance of an indirect nature now result in a volume of correspondence exceeding that arising from claims for direct assistance. Proof of the general increase in the work of your committee may be found in the fact that in 1916, your mail totalled 2000 letters, and the stationery account was .£2l. whilst last year slightly less than 25.000 letters, cablegrams, and telegrams were received and dispatched, and the stationery supplies for the last eighteen months cost more than £3OO.

“Summarising the position disclosed by the general work of vour committee, if is evident that the duties they have to perform will be at least as arduous during the next few years as they have been since peace was declared.” The report was adopted.: Applications for Loans.

The Finance Committee reported as follows on its work since the previous meeting:— “In addition to its usual control of your financial operations, your commit; tee considered twenty-seven applications for loans', amounting in all to a value of 434224. Sixteen of .these claims, which disclosed neither physical impair, ment nor economic disabiltiy, were declined (houses 411876, businesses 41300, farms 431180). Four claims were reconsiderations, and the remaining seven were granted, as they had been lodged by men who are permanently partly disabled. and who, as the result of their war service, are suffering decreased earningpower not made good in full by their war pensions. Of these seven applications, two were in connection with farming properties, and five in regard to acquisition of dwelling houses; the total amount involved being 4'868, of which 41741 represents loans, and 43127 straightout grants. A ~ “In view of the heavy increase m the number of applications for loans, and of the large amounts now being appiiel for, because of your fast diminishing financial resources, tnd because so many claims are being lodged for advances of money by men suffering no war disability whatever, vour committee request you to again consider your future policy in respect to claims of this nature.” Mr. Luke moved, that the secretary be instructed to bring down a report upon the problem referred to in the final paragraph of the Finance Committee’s report. A recommendation could then be put by tho executive before the war Funds Council. Mr .MTntosh: If it. is seen that, the matter is very pressing, it might be as well to call a special meeting.

Mr. Luke’s motion was carried Financial Statement.

The following financial statement was placed before the meeting:—Expenditure for the month March, 1921, 0£2356 Is. 7d.; income for the month, X‘935 6s. 7d.j excess of expenditure over income, JC1420 15s. Total available funds as at March 31, 1921: Investments, .IM-6,257 14s. 7d.: current accounts, .£'2657 17s. id.; petty cash, X2O: total, .£48,935 Us. lid.