WAR RELIEF

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 40, 16 August 1921, Page 8

WAR RELIEF

m DOMINION DELEGATES MEET TREATMENT OF BLINDED SOLDIERS, The Advisory Board of the Federation of New Zealand Patriotic War Relief Societies met in the Accountants' Chambers to-day, Mr. E. H. Williams (Hawkes Bay) ■ presiding in the absence of the chairman (Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp). Other delegates present were :—Messrs. H. J. Farrant (Southland), W. Power (Taranaki), G. Wildish (Gisborne), A. 0. Leach (secretary, Wellington War Relief Association), A. Macintosh (Wellington), Hope Gibbons (Wanganui), W. W.Snodgrass (Nelson), R. J. F. Aldrich (Returned Soldiers' Association), E.> R. Grace (Otago), J. Begg (Otago), the Hon. Joseph Grimmond (Westland), V. 1. Lamer (Auckland), and R. W. Shallcrass (secretary). Messrs. W. Ferguson and D. M'Laren, members of the local association, were also present. One of the important items for consideration was the Blind Soldiers' Fund. It was reported that, opinion being divided on the question of establishing a fund of £10,000 to assist blind soldiers in the Dominion on the lines suggested by Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, societies were asked the following questions:—"(l) Will your society contribute its quota to the fund? (2) In the event of some societies declining to contribute, will your society still'support the fund, and contribute its quota, together with an additional amount to meet your share of the deficiency caused by the failure of some societies to contribute? (3) In the. event of some societies declining to contribute, will your society still support a fund of a smaller amount to be contributed to pro rata only by those societies who riiay express then- approval?" A summary of replies received had already been circulated amongst- societies, from which it was found that the most, favourable answers were from Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, and South Canterbury. Ot-her societies willing to contribute were Ashburton, Gisborne, and Hunterville. The following societies gave unfavourable replies: Auckland, Canterbury, Dunedin, Nelson, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Wanganui, Wavefley, and Wellington. Other societies did not re: ply. The Wairarapa Association suggested that the, matter might be brought up again. It was for the Advisory Board to consider whether the scheme should be proceeded with or dropped entirely.* After discussion the following motion was carried:—"That in view of the diversion of opinion amongst societies, and as blinded soldiers are receiving pensions as well as liberal assistance where required from the Repatriation Department and the responsible societies, it is not necessary to take any further action to establish a separate fund for their benefit, particularly as such a course would' be opposed to the established principle that moneys should not be distinctively set aside for any particular section of wounded men, but that each case should be treated upon its merits."