WAR RELIEF FUNDS

Evening Star, Issue 15907, 13 September 1915, Page 7

WAR RELIEF FUNDS

ADVICE t.O DELEGATES. TENTATIVE BASIS SUBMITTED. The Otago Patriotic and General Wei* fa}v, Associations having, decided to send delegates to the WeEington conference, considered the question of instructing them this morning. - Mr P. R. Sargood- submitted a scheme as an indication and guide to their delegates to. govern ; the general principles of administration: . 1. Local effort for the raising of funds. ■ 2. Local administration of such funds, with (a) co-operation with othre associations to ensure equitable treatment of all claimants wheresover domiciled; (b) 00-operation for mutual financial assistance. where funds are proved to be inadequate to meet looal claims, with the necessary safeguards against undue wastage; (c) mutual ur.deitvtanding as to the basis of responsibility with regard to districts. 3. A common maximum basis of relief for all associations, based upon the Pensions Act or some other equitable system. 4. Mutual understanding as to rendering first aid at parts of tion, while in hospital or elsewhere. Any assistance thus given to l>e recoverable from the districts which are entitled to bear the responsibility. To this end associations might reasonably place funds in the hands of the associations at the ports of disembarkation. A long discussion followed on the various clauses.

Mr Breen. said they were tied hand and foot to local administration, and there was no use discussing the matter at all. Mr Theomiit said they must not tie their delegates too securely. He thought that some basis of reciprocity should be left.

Air Solomon said that these funds were placed in their hands with a. definite trust. 'Lhe view of the committee was that there should not only be local administration, but that it should not be subject to the dictates of a national committee. That finding meant disapproval of central control of how the funds were to be administered. On the other hand they approved of an advisory national committee for any particular case or set of cases. But if that national committee were to decide what proportion of the money should be handed over for each centre it was quite subversive of the committee's finding; and also it would not be competent to allow the national committee to say what was the maximum that should be paid to Otago's soldiers. Mr Sargood: Are we to shut ourselves out from any form of federal agreement? If we* do it will stultify us in the eyes of Otago as well as New Zealand. We must have some idea of federal reciprocity. The Rev. Father Coffey said the committee did not mean at "all to limit the money to Otago. Mr Johnstone : We have desired from ,the very outset' reciprocity with evorv other military district.

Mr Sargood, referring to clause 5, said there might be cases where men had left the district of Otago and enlisted elsewhere, and these were cases where Dominion reciprocity ; was needed. Mr Solomon : Docs this mean that you authorise your delegates to support the formation of a central authoritv' The Mayor : No! _ Mr Solomon : We have, as Mr Speight informs you, been carrying out this principle of reciprocity mentioned by Mr ,SarS £° d l 'j? Ut what we ob i ecfc to is that there should be a central executive appointed in Wellington to decide the form in which co-operation shall take place. Mr C. Russell Smith said thev were wasting time. Ho would move that the delegates ho authorised to support the formation of an advisory bodv of representatives from the various districts in >,ew_ Zealand. This was not seconded.

The Primate said it would no doubt be of assistance if they laid down as a general principle that, there must be local administration, and then define what was meant by that. Mr Breen wanted to know why Mr Sargood used the words "undue wastage." Was it suggested that there had been wastage?

Mr Sargood said that the words were merely a safeguard. Mr John Roberts, C.M.G.. "said that there was lttile doubt that OL-kjo would have to help weaker districts, and it was no good talking of heln and pacing resolutions of reciprocity- unless thev were willing to allow their monev to m out of the town. ' 6

In proposing clause 3, as to a common maximum basis of relief, Mr Sargood tv 1 1 , -^ ere . raight ■ be associations which had big tunds and a small number of men and be able to give better relief tnau other associations with small funds and many men, and it was neeessarv to nave a common basis.

The Mayor thought this clause not tp'2™', s « em S that they had already affirmed the principle of co-operative a*treSent! 0 that *» hnd «^«

Mr Fenwick agreed with the Mavor ♦; a ?», i On T thought ft a mist ' ak e to tie the hands of a local committee bv laying ciown a maximum. Mr John Roberts said that the conference might be left to deal with this question when it arose. Mr Sargood agreed to withdraw the clause.

Clause 4 as to mutual understanding was moved by Mr Sargood. c Mr Mitchell seconded, and the clause was adopted without discussion. The proposals were then put and carried as a whole, with the exception of the withdrawn clause. •

Mr F. Mitchell'said that he was elected f B ° ne .of the delegates, and he would be in Wellington at tho time, but he had another matter to attend to, and might not be able to give very much time to the conference. Perhaps another delegate ought to be sent. Mr Fenwick said that he was in the same position. The Mayor said that the association would be glad of the services of both gentlemen. If either had to be absent from the conference Mr Denniston would be there.