ASTONISHING AND GRATIFYING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 241, 12 July 1928, Page 6

ASTONISHING AND GRATIFYING

REPAYMENT OF SOLDIERS’ LOANS OVER 50 PER CENT. RETURNED WAIRARAPA PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION Dominion Special Service. Mastertoll, July 11. “The repayment of loans to the association by ex-soldiers has fully realised the first expectations of the executive, said the president of the Wairarapa Patriotic Association (Inc.), (Mr. J. M. Coradine), at the annual meeting today of the association. “The executive did not anticipate that it would have returned more than 50 per cent, of loans, but that has been the case. It is a splendid feature of pur work with the soldiers. They have kept faith with the association. The result is a tine one when you take into consideration the nature ot the fund, the benefits of whch the returned men are entitled. It is astonishing and gratifying. Many those men had a difficult proposition. They were going on land as a new venture, and in times not good, and entering businesses the requirements of which they did not know. They were untrained, yet over 50 per cent, of their loans have been returned to us. As a matter of .fact, if a man returns 50 per cent, and he is up against it, we generally make him a grant of the balance. It is a credit to the soldiers themselves that they have stood up to the work and to the association. There are some exceptions, of course, but taking them as a whole they have done well.” The Report. The annual report stated that the total receipts from all sources, from the inception of the fund in 1914 down to March 3 1928, amounted to £219,013, and the total payment to £176,021, leaving the net balance of funds in hand at date £42,-, 991. Interest, over and above the charges on overdraft, had, through the judicious investment of the funds, returned £24,349, and after deducting the twelve years’ costs of' administration, had yielded a. net' . increase- of £18,567. The total cost of administration over twelve years amounted. to, £5781, or 2.64 per cent, of the; total receipts , and contributions to the fund, these administrative charges haying absorbed only 18.819 per cent. : of the interest earned by the, fund. There was a balance of funds in hand of £42,991, a decrease of £203 on the balance at'.the beginning of the year. It was. obvious that as contributions to the fund ceased in 1918 and interest was the sole income, a steady drain on capital must result. With the . available fund of £27.979, and assuming the future yearly liability to be £2OOO, the fund should not deplete • itself inside fourteen years. ■ ' The Claims Board had made' advances to soldiers amounting, to £57,752, of which 55 per cent, had been repaid, 16 per cent, written off, and 28 per -cent, was still outstanding.- The total number of loans granted since the inception of the fund was 492, of which 100 had been for purchase of farms, 103 for purchase of stock and. implements, 116 for. purchase of. dwellings, 84 for purchase of businesses, 35 for purchase of furniture, 19 for first half-year’s rent Of farms,.'six guarantees nt bank, and 23 sundry smqjl loans. The bulk of these loans were secured, but in many cases advances had been made to disabled men without security. Owing to the period of depression through which the Dominion had passed, many of the soldiers assisted had not. been able, through economic conditions, to meet their instalments,' with the result that postponements in many cases had been granted. With few exceptions, the returned men had made every endeavour to meet their instalments. The policy of the board, in view of the depletion of the fund, had been to curtail advances to soldiers not suffering a war disability, unless some special circumstances were evident winch merited an advance being made. The primary object of the ‘ association was to assist war disability cases, and it endeavoured to conserve the fund for that prpose. When the state of the fund would permit it, however, they did make advances to “Fit A”' men purely as a business transaction on gilt-edged securitv and at the ruling rate of interest. ’The total sum paid to soldiers and dependants from the inception of the fund was £33,974. Approximately 1900 individual returned soldiers and dependants had been assisted from the fund by way of grants, many of them having been assisted over and over again, while a number were in receipt of permanent allowances as a subsidy to their regent theatre. That inimitable pair of comedians, Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton, arc now at*the Regent Theatre in. their latest comedy, “Wife Savers.” Starting off in a Brooklyn (New York) restaurant with Beerv ’as a head waiter and Hatton as one of-his underlings, the situations evolved have innumerable laughs. .They are seen in' the Swiss Alps as part of the great American forces, but this time the situation is the reverse, for now Hatton Is a pert second lieutenant, and Beery nothing but a company baker. The ways that Hatton conceives to humiliate his erstwhile boss are a constant source of comedy. Also screened are a gazette, cartoon and comedy, while appropriate music is supplied by the orchestra under Mr. Ivan Fosello, . Miss Florrie Le J ere, brilliant song and dance creator, and Mr. Lou Handman, well-known American pianist and composer, who also appear, on this .programme, provide an unusually good turn. 1 . • “SPORTING GOODS.” Gertrude Olmstead is the fascinating leading lady for Richard Dix in his latest Paramount picture, “Sporting Goods, which comes to the Regent Theatre tomorrow. Also in the cast is Ford Sterling “Sporting Goods” tells of the adventure of a young man who is mistaken for a millionaire, and everything goes all right imtil he has to pay the hotel bills and finds out that the girl he is in love with is the ward of the man whom he has been impersonating. In addition to “Sporting Goods” Florrie de Vere and Lou Handman, new established favourites, will appear in the second edition of "Celebrities,” with more of Lon Handman’s. newest successes included in this bright offering. KING’S THEATRE. In the far North East of Siam, weeks by tracks through the forest, and in wet season inaccessible, two young men fought malaria, the superstitions of natives, and wild beasts, while they were making the Paramount picture, “Chang,” which is now screening at-the King’s Theatre after a highly successful week at the Regent Theatre. They were Ernest Schoedsack and Merian Cooper, and the thrills that they have put Into this picture are perhaps the greatest ever seen on the screen. This picture has called forth piore praise than any single picture yet made, and while being made in the jungle, it tells a real pulsing human story of man s fight for life. ' Good -supports are also screened, and appropriate music is supplied by the orchestra.

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE. For the eighth week in succession the League of Notions has presented a thoroughly enjoyable programme at His Majesty’s Theatre, where they are nearink' the end of their run. Queeule Paul and Mike Connors again score heavily with their duets, this weeks being Here I am, Broken-hearted,” and the ever popular “Breeze.” Syd. Beck is always to the fore, and appears to advantage in the clever sketches, “The Mourners,” ‘The Cooperative Stores,” “Keep to the Right, and “The Birthday Party.” Linn Smith’s Tazz Band' is again responsible for many snappy numbers. Les. Pearce_ sings “Girl ot Mv Dreams and The Ginchey Road”: Rougal and Rayne contribute, a clever dancing turn; Miss Gladys Shaw is responsible for a whistling solo: and the Panlasto Bros, provide an old-time policeman patter sketch and dance, while the clever and sprightly ballet of six add interest. .