WITHDRAWAL WANTED

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 232, 28 June 1945, Page 8

WITHDRAWAL WANTED

Booklet “UNRRA, CORSO

And You”

USE OF PATRIOTIC FUNDS Dominion Special Service. NAPIER, June 27. Strong exception to a statement in the publication “UNRRA, CORSO, and You,” that these organizations were using patriotic moneys, was expressed at a meeting today of the Hawke’s Bay Provincial Patriotic Council. A resolution was passed asking if facts contained in the booklet were the wishes of the National Patriotic Board, and further requesting the immediate withdrawal of the booklet. Exception was taken to the method of inviting applications for service with CORSO and the fact that some of the organization’s executives were conscientious objectors. The following statement was quoted from the booklet: "Because relief of distress due to war is a patriotic purpose, the Government, by the already existing war regulations (funds are made available from the all-purpose patriotic appeal and CORSO itself functions as an agent of the National Patriotic Fund Board when administering the moneys thus collected), spends eaeh year a considerable sum in war distress relief. Your gifts to the all-purpose national patriotic appeal accordingly help not only overseas troops and prisoners .of war but the devastated peoples.” Urging people to increase their contributions, the booklet stated that they could be sent through CORSO, and gave a Wellington address. “We are working in the interests of our own service people, and CORSO and UNRRA are for the benefit of something of much wider scope than this,” said Mr. E. Gibbard (Dannevirke). “People should know that when they are giving to CORSO and UNRRA they are not giving to the national patriotic funds. I just want to make it clear that, as far as our own district is concerned, the money collected is for the national patriotic funds. I don’t want to damn these organizations, but I think it should be known that their money is not national patriotic money.” “The point that I raise is one that has exercised the attention of the R.S.A.,’ said Mr. G. E. G. Rogers (Hastings). “This concerns the appointment of conscientious objectors to jobs in these organizations. They are getting a good trip out of it.” Mr. Rogers recalled that several appointees who went to China were known as conscientious objectors. “As a patriotic body we are concerned with the appointment of men who have served their country. We are certainly not interested in the appointment of men who are conscientious objectors, he said. While expenditure on CORSO was stated to be £2,000.000, and it was advertised that successful applicants would receive their present salary plus expenses, there -was no reference to preference being given to returned men. said Mr. E. Gibbard (Dannevirke). He suggested that inquiries should be made as to why, in this matter of national importance, advertisements appeared in only one newspaper in the Dominion. “It is difficult to get information concerning this organization and it seems to me that when they advertise in only one newspaper in one town there is some motive in it,” said Mr. Gibbard. Dissatisfaction was also expressed at the fact that goods of the Lady Galway League, an organization set up to send comforts to Britain, were being handled hy CORSO.