PAYING THE DEBT

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 140, 11 December 1923, Page 6

PAYING THE DEBT

When New Zealand sheepfarmers resolved to give part of their wool profits for the benefit of the seamen and their dependants who had suffered in the war, it was an inspiration to name the fund an Acknowledgment- of Debt. It was not chanty, given -for no consideration and it was not a discharge of the debt. The way in which the fund has been used has been quite in keeping with the spirit of the contributors ;' and the further scheme now adopted, to train the sons of seamen killed in the war, affords a prospect of extending still' more the benefit conferred by the fund. Tha boys are to be .brought to New Zealand, trained on a farm maintained. from the fund and then established with suitable farmers, and eventually assisted fe> acquire farms of their own. It is a promising scheme, but it places upon the trustees of the fund greater responsibility than would be involved in the mere handling and disbursing of moneys. This responsibility the trustees recognise Iney acknowledge that they " are placing themselves in the position wjth all the responsibilities'pf the fathers whom the boys have lost." Unaided, the trustees cannot hope tc discharge the duty thus accepted. They must have the help of the farmers who formerly gave money to establish the fund. These farmers are now asked to make homes

for the fatherless boys of the seamen, to train them well, and to make them creditable citizens of New Zealand. If the farmers will accept this obligation in the spirit shown, by the promoters, of the scheme, we do not doubt that the sons of the seamen and New Zealand itself will rTap great benefit.