PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Evening Star, Issue 23725, 5 November 1940, Page 6

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

FUNCTIONS OF PROVINCIAL COUNCILS ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR-GENERAL MISCONCEPTIONS CLEARED UP Misconceptions that may have existed concerning the functions of the provincial patriotic councils in relation to the National Patriotic Fund Board should he cleared up by the address given to-day in the Council Chamber by the Governor-General (Viscount Galway) to members of the executive of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council. His Excellency, who is chairman of the National Board, detailed the work that had been done by the board and stressed the importance of the provincial councils in relation to postwar problems which would largely he capable of solution only by the provincial bodies. OTAGO’S EFFORT. The mayor (Mr A. H. Allen), who presided, extended to His Excellency a very cordial welcome to the city and expressed the pleasure of the executive members of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council at meeting him. Sir Allen explained that, as chairman of the National Patriotic Fund Board, His Excellency, desired to address the members, and His Worship mentioned that Otago had a very efficient organisation throughout the province. To date £60,000 had been contributed to the joint appeal by the Red Cross and St. John, contributions in a general appeal for all purposes amounted to £41,000, and they w T ere hopeful as the result of the queen carnival that there would be an amount of £60,000 for the special purpose of rehabilitation of our men and assisting their dependents when they returned to civil life. COMPLETE HARMONY. The Governor-General, in his opening remarks, expressed thanks for all that had been done during the last year for the war effort on which they were trying to concentrate all their energies. Speaking of what the National Patriotic Fund Board had done,-- His Excellency said that when the war started the Government decided that it would try to get the funds organised in such a way that there would be no overlapping, and that the maximum result would accrue from every penny subscribed. The National Patriotic Fund Board was formed, and it had been working in complete harmony with provincial councils. His Excellency emphasised that any money received by the board was controlled entirely by the board. ' “ The Government has no control whatsoever over tlxe funds, which are administerd by the board,” he declared. , They would be spent entirely on the war effort as'directed by the board, and when the war was over if there was any, surplus it would he used for purposes of rehabilitation or for such purpose as the board might decide.

NATIONAL APPEALS. “ Wlicn the war started we had to get into a central fund a considerable sum of money because-wel had'tpTfinance a whole collection of subsidiary organisations such as the Red Cross,” said His Excellency. Mobilisation camps had to be financed, and he knew there was a feeling at times that the provinces thought they were being starved. Ho saw their point of view and sympathised with them. The board had launched an appeal, securing over £IOO,OOO for the comfort of the troops. This had largely been spent in getting the mobilisation camps into order, providing proper recreational facilities and everything the men wanted to make them feel they were being properly looked after in the training camps before they went overseas. Then money was spent on the echelons going overseas. Viscount Galway said that, as the result of the appeal for the Red Cross, which had produced a splendid response, the Red Cross and St. John had a large sum which would meet their requirements for a considerable time. WORK OF PROVINCIAL COUNCILS. Following this had come the time for the board to get the provincial councils on their feet. It was then necessary to decentralise and put the matter in the hands of the provinces. Now they were delegating as much as they could to the provinces because the latter must look after their own men as much as possible. ... “Wo desire to see the provincial funds built up,” said His Excellency, and he explained that it was for this purpose that an appeal had been launched all over New Zealand to raise £1,000,000 so that they could face up to any emergency that came along. , Viscount Galway, at this stage, paid a tribute from Lady Galway and himself to the work done by the women in providing clothing for those in need in the Old Country and for the refugees. He wanted them to know how deeply grateful he and Lady Galway were for their immense generosity and wonderful e, rhe proceedings of the National Patriotic Fund Board last year had been published, ho stated, and it would be noticed how the overhead was kept down, thanks largely to the wonderful help the people were giving voluntarily. Now, they might say the machine was ■working smoothly, and the happy relations between the provinces and the central body augured very well for the future. POST-WAR PROBLEMS. Touching upon post-war problems, his Excellency said that he was afraid they would be difficult. They were difficult after the last war, and he could not sec that they would bo any different now. Whatever difficulties arose they would most probably be capable of solution only by provincial councils, and he felt sure the councils would deal with cases as efficiently as possible. Everything, of course, must be done on the same lines throughout New Zealand, but he felt sure that when the funds were properly established these problems would be solved quite satisfactorily- “ The whole war machine is working smoothly.” said his Excellency, in conclusion, “ and we can look forward in the future to everything possible being done for the men overseas and when they return.” Mr J. J. Marlow expressed keen appreciation to his Excellency for his address. Misunderstandings had arisen, and his Excellency had done much to remove them. The people of Otago were very grateful to him for bis assurance that the work would be carried out on uniform Hues. They appreciated his good wishes, and convoyed to him the heartfelt good wishes of every member of the community.