WAR RELIEF

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1918, Page 8

WAR RELIEF

MEETING OF ADVISORY BOARD At a meeting of the Federation of New Zealand Patriotic War Relief Societies this morning, Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp was elected chairman, and Mr. J. J. Dougall (Christchurch), vice-chairman. Alao present were: Messrs V. J. Lamer (Auckland), Hon. J.. T. Paul lOtago), Hon. J. Grimmond (Westland), Hope Gibbons (Wangaimi), W. P. Kirkwood (Taranaki).

Consideration was given to a proposal that gift duty should not be charged on' bequests to patriotic societies or to recognised patriotic funds. It was resolved that any gift for the benefit of soldiers, given during the lifetime of the donor or after death, should be exempt from stamp duty. . j Some discussion took place on the sub- j . ject of pensions for discharged soldiers , [ with pre-service disabilities. The opinion was expressed that if a man was passed as fit and sent intjo camp he should be entitled to a pension if service in the Army necessitated his discharge, to carry him over the period until he could resume his civil occupation. Ministers, it was stated, had declared that such cases should be dealt with by the Patriotic Societies, but the meeting urged that the responsibility should lie on the Government. The Hon. J. T. Paul said he knew of cases in which men had given their previous medical history to the Medical Board, they had broken down, and the Government refused, a pension. One man, known to be mentally deficient, had been accepted, got as far as Sling, was turned down by the Imperial authorities, and sent back to New Zealand to be a burden on a Patriotia Society. Mr. Lamer contended that something ought to be done for the returned men who might not he able to get a billet at the end of the twentyeight days' leave on full pay. Eventually consideration of the subject was adjourned until later in the day. In regard to the subject of granting relief on behalf of another society, it was decided to adhere to the policy in vogue under which a society has a right to spend up to £2 ,on behalf of another society without consulting that society. It was decided that the monthly grant of £40 to the Salvation Army Soldiers" Institute at Rotorua be discontinued, as the Army hasi, recently successfully appealed to the public for funds for its war work. It was decided to make a quarterly remittance, on Ist January, of £3000 to the Staff Paymaster, London. On the motion of Mr. Lamer, it was agreed that the North Island patriotic societies contribute £500 a year towards the Comforts Fund for soldiers at ltolorua. (Proceeding.)