LIBERAL POLICY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22314, 26 April 1947, Page 6

LIBERAL POLICY

AID TO VETERANS FUNDS HOLD OUT WELL HEAVIER CALLS LIKELY The adoption of a more liberal policy in the disbursement of aid from the sick and wounded soldiers fund administered by the Citizens’ Defence Committee in Gisborne was endorsed fully by members of the committee at the annual meeting on Wednesday’ afternoon. It was stated that the disbursements during the past year had nearly doubled those of 1945-46, reaching £341 10s, as compared with £lßl 10s. Speaking on the eventual disposal of the fund, which now has a credit of £6221. Mr. G. Bradley Smith stated that he would prefer to see the money paid out on a still more generous basis to qualified applicants who stood in need of assistance. It would not fulfil the desires of the original contributors if a large surplus were retained qfter the opportunity for its use had passed. On this point other members agreed with Mr. Smith, hut the desirability of conserving some part of the funds for later use was emphasised. Mr. R. F. Gambrill stated that it would be better to have money in hand after the last possible beneficiary had passed on than to expend all the funds and find that needy veterans were left without any stand-by. “Let us broaden the basis of the programme, if possible, by offering aid to a greater number of cases, rather than by enlarging the individual grants”, suggested another speaker. Gisborne-Enlisted Men The chairman, Mr. H. H. De Costa, reminded the meeting that the fund had certain specific objects, and that however sympathetic the claims committee might feel towards an applicant it could not make grants or orders available unless the applicant was a Gisborneenlisted man. The claims committee was empowered by the meeting to Expand a considerably larger sum during the coming year, if it found suitable cases for aid. Ic was pointed out in the annual report that the committee since 1927 had been following a policy of expenditure recommended by the Gisborne Returned Services’ Association, and that in the past year that policy had been adhered to strictly. The repayment of a substantia] mortgage held on broad acres had removed the committee's former lack of liquid funds, and the bulk of the money from this repayment had been invested in Government bonds. Expenses of administration during the past year had totalled £3B. of which part was incurred in the settlement of the mortgage transaction Competition from Younger Men The signs that more claims would have to be dealt with in future were seen in the larger number of war veterans slipping out of employment which they had filled during the war years, but which they could not hold against the competition of younger men now that civil re-establishment was proceeding rapidly.

The thanks of the committee were extended to Mr. H. H. De Costa, chairman of the parent body and also of the claims committee, and Messrs Gambrill and Smith for their work in dealing with applications for aid. Mrs. Ada E. Beer was accorded hearty commendation for her administrative work and for the benefits of her social relief activities: and Mr. M. J. While was also thanked for his honorary services as auditor. The fact that Mr. Arthur Owen had continued to provide an office for the committee without charge was referred to, and the appreciation of members was expressed at his generosity. Officers were elected as under:— Chairman, Mr. H. H. De Costa; trustees Messrs Gambrill. De Costa and G. C. Jones: claims committee, Messrs. Gabbri'l, De Costa and Smith: general committee, the above-named with Messrs. D. W. Col .an. M.P.. C. E. Bickford, and A. C. ~ooke: secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Ada E. Beer; h’on. auditor. Mr. M. J. White.