MAORILANDERS' ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 54, 12 September 1928, Page 10

MAORILANDERS' ASSOCIATION

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l noticed in your issue of last night that Mr. Forde, the president of the Maorilanders' Association, had replied to my letter, wherein I expressed dissatisfaction with the determined efforts <made to have one of the members of the provisional committee appointed as organiser of the movement at a commission pf 25 per-cent, of the subscriptions received. Mr. Forde has corrected me^ and points out that the organiser's "remuneration is to be 25 per cent, of the subscriptions received by him himself, and that subscriptions paid to the secretary or to members of the committee will not be subject to this liability. I still maintain, however, that a commission of 25 per cent, is ex« cessive. The secretary and the treasurer will collect a certain amount of the local subscriptions and will receive all subscriptions once the members are enrolled, but it will be the organiser's duty to enrol these members. There are approximately 600,000 born New Zealanders. If 100,000 joined through the efforts of the-organiser, ho would receive £0250, which certainly is, as I said, a liberal commission for a patriotic gentleman to receive for his services to a patriotic movement. The job certainly has possibilities. In passing, I may state that the salaries (or should I say honoraria) of the secretary and the treasurer have yet. to be decided upon. For the sake of the prospective funds of the association, I hopo that it will not be suggested that they also be remunerated by a commission on subscriptions collected. Mr. Fordo asks what remuneration I consider the organiser should receive. . I tlo not suggest, of course, that he should be out of pocket, but, ■ seeing that' the movement is a patriotic one, surely a suitable man could be found who would organise for a smaller commission and •without the prospect of amassing a small fortune,. ..-.••■ Further, why not pledge every member on enrolment to enrol'two (or say, three) more members? In this way, each and every member of the association would be, in his or her small way, an organiser, and the funds of the association Would, not be depleted to create a nest-egg for any one of its patriotic members... I do not wish to throw cold water on the movement, but Mr. Fprde will, admit that, if the association has nothing to conceal, this publicity will help it along rather than hurt it.—l am, etc;, '... NEW- ZEALANDER.