THE PATRIOTIC FUND.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9823, 24 July 1900, Page 3

THE PATRIOTIC FUND.

Mr Seddon's Scheme Criticised. Three Principal Centres Object. [per press association.] Wellington, Last night. The Mayor of Wellington objects to the Premier's proposal to deal with the various patriotic funds under a national scheme. He says it was a municipal idea altogether that led to the promotion of the funds in the various cities, and the money which the citizens freely subscribed for a specific purpose should be disbursed in the direction indicated by the subscribers themselves. He strongly favors a central distributing committee, and failing that he thinks local distribution is the best thing. The following correspondence passed to-day between the Premier and Messrs Mdls (chairman of tlie Dunedin Patriotic Fund) aud the Mayor of Auckland :—

From Mr Mills to Mr Seddon —" I have to thank you and Mr Ward for your telegrams' re proposed legislation in reference to patriotic funds. This matter is to be cousidered at a public meeting of subscribers to-morrow evening, called to consider this matter and also to deal with the report and accounts of the committee, who had charge of the raising and de spatch of -the Otago and Southland section of the Fourth Contingent. Shall be glad if you can, previous to the meeting, give me an indication of the shape the proposed bill will take, as a lively interest is being taken in the matter by subscribers, and there will be a great disappointment if our fund is not set apart for our own district, and is removed from the custody of ttie present committee, of which the Mayor i 3 chairman." From the Mayor of Auckland to the Premier:—"At a committee meeting of the South Africa patriotic fund held this afternoon the following resolution was unanimously carried : ' That with reference to the Premier's telegram of the 17th inst , suggesting that all the patriotic funds be vested in the Public Trustee, this committee desire to place on record its strong dissent to any such proposal ; that in view of the fact that the Auckland patriotic fund, is in effect held in trust on behalf of the Lord Mayor of London, this committee must protest against any diversion of the trust without the consent of the Lord Mayor of Lon-iou and subscribers to the fund being first obtained ; that this committee has taken care thatn:> case of distress in the Auckland provincial district deserving of help has been left uncared for.' " The Premier to Mr J. Mills, and Mr D. Goldie:—It is the desire of the Government to work with, aud not iv opposition to the wishes of, those who have been chiefly instrumental in raising the moneys for a truly patriotic purpose, and who are beat entitled to decide as to its distribution. There is at present no defined Iru<r, et blished, and what we proposed to do was to legislate in that direction, and that there were to be local trustees who should invest and distribute the money under the conditions in line with those laid down when the mone> s were subscribed. It was suggested that the Mayors of the four large centres should be <x officio membeis of the trust and the other trustees were to be elected by the subscribers. It is unnecessary for me to point out to you as a business man the desirability of rtmovim* the present uncertain condition of There are subscribers who say that the moneys were all to go to the Mansion House Fund. Others say the moneys were otherwise to be applied. Under these circumstances it is unnecessary for me to point out that at the present time those holding these moneys and the committees arc responsible to the individual subscribers, and that the moneys have been contributed by subscribers under different conditions. It is my intention to get a bill drafted, send it on to each of the committees, and finally decide upon the matter. It is also unnecessary for me to remind you of what occurred in respect to the Kaitangata pubs.'Tiptii'.ns, a>;d that ultimately the Lo„r.-lature had to step in and save the residue. I. express no opinion on the fact that over £20,000 lias left this colony siiid sent to the Mansion House Fund, you have not had tu> nty pence letuuied, and in my opinion never will. It has been brought under my notice that soma of our contingents invalided home have left

Cape Colony penniless, and ill clad, while there are agents who seeing to the Imperial soldiers, and were meeting their requirements out of what is known as the Tommy Atkins' fund,' and I only point this out to show that whilst, your committee is very keen now to keep the control and distribution of the residue of the moneys subscribed, you have sent ; away a large amount of the money, ; handed it over to the Lord Mayor of j London, and that you have no control whatever. In fact, after going ear* fill iy into the matter, I have never seen a letter sent to any committee from the controller of the Mansion House fund as to what they would do with the money, or as to how it stood at the present moment, and if not out of place I would advise your committee to know what they intend to do with it, and whether or not those who subscribed it were to be consulted as to its distribution. • It appears to me now as if you did not seem inclined to trust the people of this colony, and whatever you may do, I assei t that our sons fighting in the Cape are fighting to uphold the constitution and the grand old flag and are not fighting for provincial districts, but for and the Empire, and to say that because a soldier came from an outlying district that practically to-morrow he may have no friends, that those dependent upon him should want, whilst in other districts funds are available, is a provincialism and a parochialism which does not commend itself to my judgment. It is my desire to work with you, and have the whole thing placed on a satisiac*x)ry footing. There is no established trust at the present time."