WAR RELIEF

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 110, 5 November 1915, Page 4

WAR RELIEF

WORK OF ASSOCIATION

MEETING IN WELLINGTON.

A meeting of members of the War Relief Association, Wellington, and contributors to the Wounded Soldiers Fund was held in the Mayor's room, Town Hall, last evening, for the purpose of adopting draft rules and taking the necessary steps to incorporate the association under the War Funds Act, 1915. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) presided, about twelve attending.

The rules, submitted by the Executive Committee and adopted, with one or two minor amendments, generally define the. objects and prescribe the methods of working of the association. The objects are set out as the relief of wounded, incapacitated, or necessitous soldiers, sailors, and auxiliaries, or their dependents, or the dependents of those deceased. Those coming within the term are members .of all New Zealand land, naval, ambulance, nursing, or auxiliary forces, New Zealanders in other British iorces, and members of Imperial forces temporarily resident in New Zealand. The association has power to use the funds raised, to "raise further funds, to establish and maintain homes, hospitals, etc., or contribute to their maintenance; to establish employment bureaux; and to contribute up to, but not more than, 25 per cent.'of the fund's to the St. John Ambulance Association or St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas, for work in connection with wounded soldiers and sailors. The.association may establish branches or'amalgamate with any other association.^ The Mayor of Wellington is to be president of the association and a. member of the executive ex officio. Jor tne first year the executive shall comprise Messrs. A. E. Atkinson, E. J. £ oll Jty> C; A- Ewen, W. Ferguson, H. U.. Hill, J. Hutcheson, J. Lewis C M Luke, S. Kirkcaldie, A. M'lntosh, D. M Laren, F. W. Manton. L. M. A. RearaJl' \°- H- and G- Shirtcliffe. After the annual meeting, to be held in December, 1916, an executive of fifteen members shall be elected by members ot the association.

The. Executive Committee is given power to administer the funds according to the rules, appoint trustees, etc. The first trustees are Mr. J. P. Luke and the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken. An interesting clause m the rales is the following :— "' As the members of the association are desirous that soldiers and sailors and their dependents and others should be treated in the same manner, regardless of the district from which they may be enlisted, .the Executive Committee are requested to keep that object in view ; and are empowered, subject to confirmation of the association at a general meeting, to do such acts.and things and make such arrangements'and agreements as they may think necessary or expedient to bring about a national scheme." ' When the rules had been adopted last night, the Mayor, on behalf of donors to the funds, and all who had the welfare of. the soldiers and sailors at heart, expressed appreciation of the work done by Mr. C. P.' Skerrett, K.C., and Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp. The meeting tendered these gentlemen its hearty thanks. A motion was adopted empowering Messrs-. A. R, Atkinson, J. O'Shea, W. Ferguson, and L. 0. H. Tripp to have the association incorporated and arrange for the transfer of funds held in trust by the Mayor, the Hon. J. G. -W. Aitken, and the Patriotic Society. When this was done, Mr. Tripp stated, they would be able to get to work. In reply to a question by Mr. W. Ferguson as to how the association was affected by the appointment of the Government War Relief Council, the Mayor said that the association was required, under the Act, to furnish particulars to the Government, but that was all, unless it chose to vest its funds m the War Council. There was-.no danger of overlapping, so far as he could see. ■ He remarked that he wonld oe pleased to see the association working, as there were calls on him every day.