FUND FOR PLANES

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 52, 29 August 1940, Page 13

FUND FOR PLANES

AN OBJECTION

PATRIOTIC COUNCIL

DISCUSSION

EFFECT ON OTHER APPEALS

The appeal now being made in many centres in the Dominion for funds for the purchase of planes for the Royal Air Force was questioned by ■Mr. T. Jordan, Mayor of Mastertoft, at the meeting of the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council yesterday afternoon.' Provincial appeals, said Mr. Jordan, had been neglected and pushed into the background. They had had a small flag day in February, but since then little had been possible. His district had .had no respite since May. The proposal that New-Zealand should provide funds for the purchase of fighting planes was discussed at a meeting of the National Patriotic Advisory Council, which was attended by the Prime Minister, on July 15, and resolutions embodying the opinion of the council were passed in a very definite manner. Six points were made: (1) That the provision of equipment and ammunition of war is wholly a matter for the Government so that the cost falls upon the general taxpayer and not upon individuals. (2) That the proposed scheme will not provide a single extra plane. (3) That sterling funds will be depleted to no purpose. (4) That it is essential that funds be built up for the welfare and rehabilitation of New Zealand soldiers and further appeals for large sums will be made for this purpose. (5) That the raising of funds by public subscription for the purpose of providing aeroplanes must inevitably adversely affect future appeals for patriotic- purposes. (6) That pending further appeals for patriotic purposes the immediate funds at the disposal of the National Patriotic Fund Board and the various Provincial Patriotic Councils are suffering a continuous drain for the supply of comforts, ..conveniences, and amenities for the whole of the armed forces in camp in New Zealand and on active service abroad; it is therefore essential that there be a steady influx of funds to provide a continuous supply of money for these purposes for the soldier himself. . . . . . PROTEST TO MINISTER. The appeal for funds for the purchase of fighting aircraft, Mr. Jordan continued, was to his mind merely exploiting the patriotic feeling of the people of New Zealand to no good purpose. He had on August 20 sent a telegram to the Minister of Internal Affairs protesting against the appeal for funds for aeroplanes as this was not an authorised purpose and was directly contrary to the express decision of the Advisory Council. It was not an authorised purpose when the appeal was opened. It was made an authorised purpose the. day after he sent his telegram. The Minister of Finance was frank enough to say that the New Zealand fund could not buy one additional aeroplane. , "I say it is all wrong," said Mr. Jordan. "It seems to me that we should take a stand on this.- I want to record my protest on behalf of tlie soldiers against this trading upon the patriotic feelings of the people to relieve the War Expenses Fund." Mr. E. C. Hale, representing the Dominion executive of the R.S.A., said that that organisation could not see any good purpose could be served by the appeal, which very definitely was going to be a drain upon the general funds. MR. HISLOP'S COMMENT. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, said that after the meeting of the Advisory Council he heard that something was being done. Really all that the plane fund would do would be to give the British Government a post-dated cheque, that would be honoured some day, for the financial position of New Zealand was different from that of other Dominions which had given large sums, in that anything which New Zealand gave she first had to borrow from the Old Country. It really meant that the War Expenses Account would have added to it £100,000 by way of loan from Great Britain, and that New Zealand, through her promise to pay, would share to that extent the financial'burden of the war that otherwise would be borne entirely by Britain. "But I agree," continued Mr. Hislop, "that in view of the poor state of almost air the provincial funds it would be a much finer gesture if the New Zealand Government itself had given £100,000 and left the funds that are dependent upon the generosity of citizens for the benefit of New Zealand soldiers themselves." However, Mr. Hislop added, the launching of an appeal for £100,000 in New Zealand had been announced far and wide, and it would create a bad impression if the Dominion failed to find that amount. Mr. Jordan: The Government should find it out of War Expenses. Mr. A. E. Mansford, Mayor of Palmerston North, supported the view that the Government should find the £100,000, but if that position had now been passed he thought that the amount should be limited definitely to £100,000 and that the provinces should find it by quota, for unless such steps were taken they would see a fund, not of £100,000, but of £500,000, of which £100,000 would be used for the purpose for which it was subscribed and £400,000 for other purposes. PUBLIC REACTION TO APPEALS. The view which Mr. Jordan had expressed would meet with the approval of everyone working on patriotic committees, said Mr. J. W. Andrews, Mayor of Lower Hutt, but it had to be remembered that certain purposes had a particular appeal to different people: some would give to the Air and the Air alone; others to the Navy and to no one else; others again, with a leaning towards pacifism perhaps, would support the Sick and Wounded Fund and no other. He had pointed out to people in Lower Hutt that £100,000 could not provide a single additional plane, but ■ their leaning and support was towards the Air Force and they had gone on. Though it was clear that the money would have to be borrowed from Britain—which perhaps was not anxious to lend money because all her financial resources could be utilised in other directions—there was considerable ' value in the gesture itself, said Mr. Hislop. . ' . I Mr. Jordan: Yes, but it should come from the Government. A fighting plane fund, continued Mr. Hislop, without question had an appeal to many people far greater at present than had other funds—the lists showed that —though it was clear that it could produce no more planes, for every one that could be produced in the world was bought already. All that New Zealand could do was to say ! that for so many Spitfires paid for by Britain she would refund £100,000,