SOLDIERS’ WELFARE

Evening Star, Issue 22955, 12 May 1938, Page 22

SOLDIERS’ WELFARE

PATRISTIC ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL REPORT The expenditure on soldiers and their dependents during the year ended March 31 last by the Otago Patriotic and General Welfare Association totalled £4679 18s lid. This is shown in the annual report of the association, which is to be presented at the annual meeting in the Town Hall Council Chambers next Monday morning. The customary grant from the National War. Funds Council for the relief of distress due to unemployment was reduced to £BB9, compared with £llO4 in the previous year, and by subsidising the grant the association was able to carry on the usual work among unemployed ex-soldiers in'the district. Applications from Otago ex-soldiers or their dependents residing in Otago or elsewhere who were suffering loss as the result of illness were considered and in the case of men domiciled in other districts the help granted was disbursed through the Patriotic Association in the district concerned. Christmas parcels to the value of £559 10s were distributed to approximately 400 families, the cost being borne by the Lilian Mitchell Fund ( £150), the Returned Soldiers’ Association (£159) and the association (£290 10s). During the year grants were made where necessary to assist in the education of the children of exsoldiers. The suggested extension of the pensionable age of children of widows in receipt of civil widows’ pensions would materially assist towards the education of these children In the case of widows receiving war pensions there is discretionary power for the extension of the children’s pensions beyond pensionable age where progress is being made with , their education, but no such provision is made in the case of children whose widowed mothers received the civil widows’ pension. The report shows that since 1915, when it began to operate, the association has paid but £179,712 5s 7d in relief to soldiers and their dependents, as well as £16,192 16s 8d by way of advances. The balance of the fund now stands at £35,121 12s 7d.