WAR RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 234, 29 June 1922, Page 4

WAR RELIEF

MEETING OF WELLINGTON EXECUTIVE

A meeting of the executive of the Wellington War Relief Association was held yesterday. Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp presided, and Messrs. W. Ferguson, E. Watson, A. Mclntosh, and J. Bow.

Tho chairman said they were so unused to receiving compliments on their work that it was a treat to receive such contributions as one that had been received from the Taihape Patriotic Society. The letter read as follows: —“I am directed to convey to you the very sincere thanks and keen appreciation of my committee for the valuable information supplied and the great assistance, and unfailing courtesy which you have always accorded to us in our dealings together. At a recent meeting the members of my committee individually spoke as to their appreciation of your efforts. Financial Position. Referring to the operations of the association, Mr. Leach said they were in the position of having increased their capital fund by £3OOO, after paying all expenses of administration and > other outlets for the funds, and had not turned down a single deserving case. In fact, they had contributed to the assistance of soldiers who did not live in this district, and who should really have been assisted by their local societies. The financial statement showed that the funds available totalled £44,408 7s. 9d. It was mentioned that a Wellington returned soldier who had started' in business, although partially disabled, had paid off £268 from his indebtedness in two and a half years, besides spending a considerable sum in fitting up his shop. Application Dealth With. The Committee reported as follows on the transactions of the month: — . “The Applications Committee has met on five occasions since the last meeting of the executive committee on May 29, 1922, and has dealt with 253 applications, inclusive of two claims referred to the Finance Committee, lhe total number of applications received was 887, and there are 134 cases still under action. “During the period May 28 to June 28. 1922, inclusive, the number of persons who called at the office was 435; of these 218 applied for direct assistance and 217 asked for indirect assistance and advice in directions and upon subjects too diverse in nature to be enumerated herein. ' “At the half-year ended May 30, 1922, there had been received 65' per cent, more applications than . during the same period in 1921. This is partly accounted for by the prevailing depression and consequent unemployment, and partly by an increase in the number of claims lodged by men suffering partial disablement, and by others becoming subjected to a recurrence of war disability. In the former type of application it is not always possible for the committee to grant assistance —however sympathetic they may be —to a fit single man without dependents, for the funds are not available as gratuities for war service and are not intended to cover unemployment or hardship inseparable from economic /depression, yet every endeavour has been made to assist not only the sick, wounded, and incapacitated. but also to help those suffering hardship and loss, traceable more or less directly to their war service.” The report was adopted.

Finance Committee's Report. The Finance Committee reported that it had dealt with seven cases, each involving a sum in excess of £5O. All the cases, with the .exception of two, had previously been before the committee, but required further consideration in' respect of the unpaid balances totalling £733 6s. Bd. on loans aggregating £750. The total involved was £9lB. of which £46 previously awarded as a grant to a very biidlv disabled soldier remained unaltered, whilst suspension of repayment of loans for varying periods was approved in four cases. The existing financial depression had rendered it quite impossible for many soldiers to meet their payments when due. and a great deal of extra work has been performed bv the committee in arranging these extensions. Widows' Pensions. Some desultory discussion took place in regard to the inadequacy of the amount of the pensions, granted to deceased soldiers’ widows, and the injustice caused by stopping the ordinary widows’ pensions to those who received the soldiers’ pensions. Mr. Pow stated that ho was dealing with the matter in a petition to Parliament, and he would be glad to receive any information in connection with hardships these widows were enduring.