ITS LAST STAGE

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 May 1925, Page 5

ITS LAST STAGE

WAR RELIEF WORK. TARANAKI ASSOCIATION. TO EE DISBANDED. Although the operations of the Taranaki War Relief Association have meant a lot of concentrated activity and very considerable worry to tlie chairman and members, there was a distinct feeling ol regret amongst those who, during the last ten years, had assisted in carrying through the work of helping soicliers back trom the war, sick, wounded, or incapacitated, when the resolution to disband and merge into the National funds Council was carried at yesterday’s meeting, which was held in Stratford. Mr. '' • P. Kirkwood presided, and also present were Messrs E. H. Chaney (New Plymouth), A. E. Washer (Farmers’ Union, Taranaki), J. F. Stevenson (Mana’ia), George Young (Inglewood), E. H. Young (Stratford), J. S. Tosland (Eginont County), J. W. McMillan (Stratford Patriotic Society), R. Morgan (Waitara), It. Page (Hawera), and the secretary, Mr. W. Power. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs G. W. Tayler (Eltham) and H., B. Burdeldn (Returned Soldiers’ Association). Prior to the commencement of the meeting Mr. Kirkwood referred to the loss of the late Mr. F. W. Atkinson, and a vote of sympathy was passed, members standing as a mark of respect. The ninth annual report dealt with the operations of , the association lor the year ended March 31, 1925. Dealing with the accounts, the committee said these clearly indicated the measure of assistance granted during the past year, and it would be noticed that in the aggregate the amount granted by way of relief to soldiers and dependents and under the Permanently Disabled Soldiers was approximately £2OOO in excess of similar grants for the previous twelve months period. All applications which had come before the committee had received sympathetic consideration. It would be noted that the balance bf the Wounded Soldiers Account as at March 31, 1925, was £6400 10s 3d, the greate r portion of which £5750) was on deposit at three months with the association’s bankers.

In regard to loans to soldiers, the assistance granted by virtue of these loans was substantial, and in most cases of a durable nature. The manner in which repayments were met was gratifying, and was a striking testimony to the integrity of borrowers. Subscriptions. —During the year an amount of £lO7 2s 2d was transferred, being the balance of funds in the hands of the committee for the relief of the poor‘of Great Britain, Ireland, and Belgium. P.D.S. Scheme.—The total amount which- had been expended under the Permanently Disabled Soldiers scheme since its inception in September, 1919, to March 31, 1925, was approximately £33,022. Financial Transactions. —The association was hi'ought into being by means of a meeting of delegates held on November 12, 1915. The application for incorporation was dated January IS, 1916, and the incorporation was gazetted on April 7, 1916. In the early stages of the association the affairs were attended to by an honorary secretary (Mr. J. W. McMillan), and the present secretary was appointed approximately August 20, 1916. The association’s • first financial, year ended March 31 1916.

The funds transferred, donations, and subscriptions totalled £68,823, 16s lOcl, and the administration expenses were only £3031, equal to 4.4 per cent, on the basis of the gross receipts.. The main disbursements were as follow: Relief granted to soldiers and dependents, £23,948 7s Id; relief granted under P.D.S. scheme, £33,022 3s 4d; special, expenses, £833 17s 9cl; administration, £3031 0s 3d; funds held at date, £6400 10s 3d. The expenditure for 1924-25 was £3121, the bulk of which was paid out to permanently disabled soldiers and grants to soldiers and dependents. The adoption of the report and bal-ance-sheet was moved by the chairman, who covered the operations of the last year. During this period the work had been done by the Emergency Committee.

The adoption was seconded by Mr. Tosland and was carried without discussion.

The loca] branches of the association were: County of Egmont League, Eltham Patriotic Committee, Hawera Wounded Soldiers and Patriotic Committee, Inglewood Patriotic Committee, Manaia and District Patriotic Committee, New Plymouth Patriotic Committee, North Taranaki Patriotic League, Stratford Patriotic Committee, Patea and District Patriotic League. THE DECISION TO MERGE.

Mi - . Kirkwood then dealt with the question of the transfer of funds to the War Funds Council, which was the, chief Jjusiness before the meeting. Last year the matter had been discussed, and it was thought the organisation had arrived at the stage whe n it could be wound up. Their funds would, if transferred, go into the War Funds Council and an imprest account would be opened in Taranaki for the relief oi small cases. In cases of relief of any moment being required, the matter would have to be sent to the council, who would deal with it. He could not see that any diffiehlty would he likely to occur, and a small committee would be set up in Taranaki to deal * with local matters. The Taranaki men would be entitled to assistance from the council so long as there were any funds at the disposal of the War Funds Council. The speaker said that the administration charges of the Taranaki Association had been the lowest in the Dominion, but naturally, as the fundgot lower these, would increase. Alter looking at the matter from all angles, Mr. Kirkwood was of opinion that it would be the best thing to hand over their funds to the War Funds Council. He thereupon moved that the balance of the funds of the Taranaki Provincial War Relief Association he paid over to the War Funds Council, provided that the conditions as stated by Mr. C) M. Luke, a member of the Council, were agreed to, and that a committee consisting of the chairman, the^secretary, and Mr. E. H. Young be empowered to carry out the winding up of the association and transfer the balance of the funds to the War Funds Council.

Mr. Morgan seconded the motion, and in answer to a question the chairman said that any Taranaki man could apply for relief to the Taranaki committee or, if in Wellington, to the War Funds Council. They could app]y either personally or by letter. In the speaker’s opinion a committee of two would he ample. They would hand over their section and their assets. They would, he was sure, be doing the right thing. The motion was then carried.

An interesting resume of the work of the association during the ten years of its existence was given by the chair-

man. Referring to the inception of the association, he said that the late Mr. J. E. Wilson was first chairman in 1915, and he was succeeded by Mr. C. H. Burgess, also of New Plymouth, who served from January to May, 1917.' ?■ Mr. Kirkwood was then elected, and he has continued in the chair from 1917 until the present time. He paid a tribute to Mr. Wilson for his work in helping to set up so admirable a constitution, and added that the association was extremely fortunate in having the help in its early days ot five lawyers, wiiose legal mind and training were very valuable. They were the late Mr. J. E. Wilson, Messrs Fleming, T. B. Crump, H. L. Spratt, and ,T. C. Fookes. Since , the association was formed four members had passed away —Messrs J. E. Wilson, W. E. Perceval, E. Beekbessinger, and F. \V. Atkinson. During the nine years and a half no less than three thousand cases had been substantially assisted, ... indicating what a great deal of work had been necessary. The total expended had been £57,000. One of the outstanding features of the policy of the association had been loans to soldiers, and it stood greatly to their credit that practically 95 per cent, of these -' loans had been repaid, showing that the loans had been made on a sound., basis and that the soldiers did their J work well. The loans were mainly for assisting men on the (and to buy stock, and it was worth mention that the executive had always urged soldiers to acquire leaseholds rather than freeholds. One result of the association’s influence at that time had been that they had induced the Government to increase the amount of the advances made to leaseholders from £SOO to- * £IOOO. The total loans liade to all ■ sources had been £IB,OOO. It was good to know that of the loans made to soldiers only £321 had not been repaid, and of this some was expected. The association had also been instru- 7 mental in giving assistance to soldiers’ to secure dwellings, and quite a number had made use of this, which had been of materia] benefit, and nearly all had made . good. They also helped returned men to purchase furniture and businesses, and in regard to the latter not one bad debt had been made. The bursaries for children of deceased soldiers had not been taken advantage of to any extent, hut those who did gained much benefit. The Permanently: Disabled Soldiers scheme had been freely criticised by advisory boards and the Solicit orGeneral, but he was still bf opinion that this had been of great assistance”' and in not one instance had it been misused. A specific case had been cited, but it had been proved there was nothing in it. Prior to this scheme the policy had been to conserve the funds and make schemes for the benefit of the men and their dependents. But . after , the armistice they decided to gd ’ '• in lor. the scheme, and they were unanimous that it was the proper thing to do. They thought at. first only of the permanently disabled meiiy tul f always had in mind a general fund for" anyone in necessitous circumstances. They resolved to conserve - -.up to £IO,OOO. for genera], jmrposes,, for men .with 40 per• cent;', disability. Applications were not as many as anticipated and a surplus looked likely. They reduced the disability to 20 per cent,, • but this brought in a shoal of applications,' and many were . found whoso disability was even oyer 40 per cent. As these looked likely to take all their _* funds, they had to revise their policy, an£j paid only to those cases with a greater ■ percentage of disability, and only half the amount originally intended. The board had to curtail its payments! but they were still able to assist many men. and these men were all very grateful for the assistance given. He concluded by thanking all members for the way in which they, had assisted him as chairman, and lie. said he was sure the thanks of the soldiers were due to all who had been members. No one could lay claim to any more credit than another, and the way they - al] nulled together had enabled the work to lie done. Their efforts might have been humble, but they were honest. He thanked everyone fo r the hfiartv co-ooeration shown.

Before concluding, the chairman moved a special vote of thanks to Mr. E. IT. Young, who had always ,on the Emergency Committee been ready to give the benefit of his advice and as- > si stance. He also complimented the press of Taranaki for the consistent way in which they had assisted the work of the association by disseminating information of value to soldiers, . and for the generally helpful way in which they had done everything pos-" sible to forward the work of the association. .• . ...

THANKS TO THE COMMITTEES. Cordial votes of thanks were passed to the Emergency Committee, which' had dealt with 255 cases last year to the executive committee, which, as Mr. McMillan remarked, had canned on in. such a way as to please all subscribers and had kept down the running costs of the association. So, quietly and unostentatiously, nassed out of official existence . Taranaki War Relief Association, a 7 useful body that for nearly ten years • carried on'a great work for the benefit of returned men. . ....