PATRIOTIC COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 July 1942, Page 3

PATRIOTIC COUNCIL

MEETING AT GREYMOUTH The Mayor of Hokitika, Mr A. R. Elcock, presided at a meeting of the ■ Westland Provincial Patriotic CounI cil at Greymouth, last evening, there ■ being also present: Messrs F. A. Kitchingham, W. Clayton, J. Smeaton, E. W. Kennedy, J. Unwin, F. H. Denton, A. B. Spiers, M./H. Houston, T. E. Coates, J. A. Murdoch, K. O. May, T. G. Jamieson, Mrs F. W. Shallcrass, and the Secretary, Mr D. J. Evans. The report of the Treasurer stated that the receipts for June totalled £1,749/8/5, including £1,017/17/5 from the Greymouth Committee. Payments for June amounted to £2,130/12/2, including £1,477/17/7, the final payment on the general levy

to the National’ Fund Board. Fund balances were shown at £23,286/5/8 (in deposits at banks) and £516/18/6 (net credit in current account). Levies paid to June 30 totalled £10,124/7/-, with £3,000 due by September 30. The National Patriotic Fund Board advised chat eight gallons of petrol per month would be macle available to the Council for its operations. — An application for four gallons was made by Mrs Shallcrass, to assist-in the collection of goods. The Board forwarded a copy of a letter from the High Commissioner ■regarding clothing for Russia, and asked that Lady Galway Guilds be requested to give details of any clothing available. —The Secretary stated that he had circularised all Guilds, but had received only one reply. That was from the Hokitika Guild, which stated that it had sent forward all but a few of the articles of clothing collected. Mr Kitchingham stated that the

position in regard to Greymouth was practically the same, and the Guild had ceased operations as such. The Secretary was instructed to advise the Board of the position. The Canterbury Education Board wrote, stating that the children’s war effort for Christmas parcels will be repeated, and asked the Council’s approval of an appeal being made to schools in the district. — The Secretary said that he had given the necessary approval, and haa pointed out that Inangahua was m the Council’s district. However, the Board had replied that Inangahua came under the Nelson Board. The resignation, of Mr J. Mulcare i as a member of the Council, repre-l sen ting the Grey County Council, was i accepted with regret, and it was re-J solved that a letter expressing the’ Council’s appreciation of his services i be sent to Mr Mulcare. ’ The Inangahua Committee wrote,I stating that they were haying con-| siderable difficulty in raising funds] to meet the district quota, and asked if the amount by which the Committee understood it had exceeded its

quota last year could be deducted from this year’s quota. The rationing of goods had also interfered with plans for the raising of funds. The Secretary said that there was no quota set last year, but Reefton' had responded splendidly. However, it was not possible to transfer any balance from one year to another. Regarding supplies of rationed, goods he had suggested that application oe; made to the authorities. I The Secretary said that though the; Hokitika Borough quota had been; reached, the raising of funds was being continued there. COUPONS FOR GOODS

The Greymouth Women’s Commit - 1 tee and the Greymouth Lady Galway ;Guild wrote, asking if coupon orders i could be obtained for the purchase I of goods. I The Secretary said that he had I twice asked the Postmaster about the position, and hq had promised to I make 'inquiries. So far,, he had not received any reply from the PostL master. »

Mrs Shallcrass said there had been a tremendous number of complaints lately about boys not getting their quotas of comforts, and the Winter was half over.

The Secretary said that he had written to the Secretary of the Board suggesting that to .overcome that difficulty the goods be sent direct to the camps, instead of to Wellington.

Mrs Shallcrass asked if there was any provision for mothers with several sons in camp to get coupons for wool. The position was that the people had to use their own coupons to procure the wool. Coupons should be made available for that purpose. The Secretary was instructed to iquire into the position. Two letters from Captain A. R. Curtis, of Greymouth, were tabled by Mr Kitchingham. He said that the letters had been received by the Greymouth Committee. The Secretary read the letters. The first stated that the published report of a recent meeting of the organisation had revealed to him that one of the Army , Office staff had approached the organisation for a donation of certain knitted comforts. Direct approach of that kind was highly irregular, and should have been ignored by the Committee. However, in view of the; remarks of a member of the Committee giving the general public an entirely wrong impression in justifying the request for such comforts, he enumerated the duties of the staff, in an endeavour, he stated, to be quite fair to the staff in the office. In the course of their duties, the letter stated several members of the staff acted as transport drivers, taking men to and from night Medical Boards in Greymouth and far South Westland, and they were often compelled to work far into the night to enable them to be at work at the office the next morning. They also had to collect men returning to camp from outlying places where no other transport was available. The avesage working hours were up to 65 and 70 a week. He asked that the letter be not regarded as in any way a request for the favourable consideration of an application made by one of his men in so irregular a manner. The second letter expressed the thanks of the office staff for the Committee’s readiness to help, but also expressed the view that the staff was of the opinion that the work of the Committee should be in the interests of overseas men only. It was resolved that the matter be left to the women’s committee. In reply to the Secretary, * Mrs Shallcrasss said that 92 complete sets of articles had been supplied to i the 17th Independent Infantry Com-i pany in Greymouth, and that there! were about three cases of goods ready j to be packed. A report from Mr Kitchingham that the Greymquth Rehabilitation. Committee had’paid out £l2 to soldiers during the past month was re- I ceived. !