SPLENDID WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 125, 23 November 1938, Page 12

SPLENDID WORK

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

SOLDIERS' CHILDREN

*£70,000 DISTRIBUTED

The ' Trentham Scholarship Fund, from which over £70,000 has been distributed during the past 20 years in the form of bursaries to the children of deceased and disabled soldiers and others who served overseas with the New Zealand Expeditionary Fqrce during the Great War, was wound up at the final meeting of the executive committee held in Wellington today. Mr. Sidney Kirkcaldie, who as chairman of the committee, has done a great deal of work for the fund, presided.

A brief resume of the activities of the fund since its inception was given by the chairman when presenting the committee's report for the year ended July 31 last. "The Trentham Scholarship Fund had its origin in the training camp at Trentham, and was conceived by Colonel H. R. Potter, the Camp Commandant," he said. "The original intention was that the fund should consist only of the profits from the sale of the booklet 'Historic Trentham.' That this would be totally insufficient to meet the demands that would be made upon the fund was recognised by the late Dr. Riddell, of Dannevirke, who right up to the time of his death gave unstintingly of his time, money, and his skilful appreciation of what was required. At his instigation a committee was appointed in Wellington, and\a sum of just over £40,000 was accumulated by the end of March, 1921.

"In October, 1918, Sir Charles Skerrett joined the committee and in September, 1919, drew up a scheme of regulations for the administration of the funds. These were adopted in i August, 1920, and it is a tribute to Sir Charles Skerrett to be able to state that not one single line has in any way been altered since, so complete was his grasp of the requirements of the fund. "During the life of the fund 3764 bursaries have been awarded providing secondary education for 1381 children of deceased and disabled men, with excellent results to the beneficiaries and to the community." The report stated that during the past year no new applications were entertained, but 45 renewals were made, amounting to £489. For various reasons eight were cancelled, reducing the amount made out to £409 10s. DETAILS OF EXPENDITURE. An analysis of the accounts covering the period of administration of the trust from December, 1919, to date showed that £71,733 6s 3d ha*d been paid out. Of that amount £65,911 12s had been paid to beneficiaries, and the cost of administration over the whole period amounted to £5821 14s 3d, or an average of £306 8s per annum. The executive recommended that a sum of £221 10s be made available during 1939 to enable 21 bursars to complete their studies in engineering, law, accountancy, teaching, domestic science, and so on, and that any balance over, less administration costs, be paid to^the Canteen and Regimental Trust Fund Board, from whom "valuable monetary contributions have been received amounting to £12,979 10s, enabling the Trentham Scholarship Fund to extend and carry on its work." The funds still available were reported to amount to £901 11s 6d. The recommendations were adopted with the exception that the payment of the balance to the Canteen Trust Board is to be subject to a prior payment of £200 to the secretary (Mr. James Mclntosh) and his staff in recognition of the valuable services they have rendered to thef committee. Moving the adoption of the report, the chairman said ample e^|dence was contained in letters received from beneficiaries under the fund of the good response that had been made to the committee's efforts. He also expressed appreciation of the assistance the committee had received from the Education Department and said it was largely through help from that quarter that the committee had been able to make its awards with proper discrimination. The chairman also spoke in the highest terms of the services rendered by the secretary and his staff. WHAT THE FUND HAS DONE. Mr. N. T. Lambourne, Director of Education, said he would like to express the Education Board's appreciation of what the fund had done for the boys and girls of New Zealand. More than 3000 of them had received additional education that would not otherwise have been possible. On behalf of the Canteen Trust Board Major L. C. Forgie expressed appreciation of the work of the chairman and the whole of the committee. The board was very glad to have been able to augment the scholarship fund and so help to forward the good work that had been accomplished, he said. . Praise for the efforts of the chairman, the committee, and the secretary was voiced by Major-General Sir William Sinclair-Burgess. As a returned soldier he was able to realise the great work that had been done. Those who had been associated with military life knew something of the tragedy of the aftermath of war. Some of the cases had been heartrending. On behalf of the returned soldiers he could say how the efficient and humane way in which the benefits had been distributed was appreciated. - On the motion of Mr. M. J. Reardon it was decided to record in the minutes a vote of appreciation of the splendid work done by the chairman. Other members present spoke in support of the motion, i