WOUNDED SOLDIERS’ FUND

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 272, 2 November 1916, Page 6

WOUNDED SOLDIERS’ FUND

LETTER TO AVAR RELIEF ASSOCIATION. SOME INTERESTING FACTS. At Monday’s Hawke’s Bay War Relief Association meeting the following letter, written by Air. J. S. McLeod, of Hastings, was read with interest :— In connection with the Mounded Soldiers’ Fund, there appears to be quite an erroneous impression as to the amount of money available. Judging by letters in the papers and other correspondence, the public appear to think that the Fund is a large one and that large sums of money can be distributed amongst returned soldiers. At the beginning of the war, there was a generous response from the public, and when we only Jiad a few soldiers at the front, the ’amount of the Fund no doubt appeared large, but now that we have so many soldiers fighting, and still more to go, the Fund is very small indeed. The actual money subscribed and promised to the AA ounded Soldiers’ Fund in this area, which takes _ in the districts from Woodville to AA airoa, is £55,423. The Patriotic Association have another Fund, which is known as the General Fund, which consists of subscriptions which have not been nominated by the subscribers to any particular purpose, and which amounts to £55,918. It is the intention of the Patriotic Association to devote the bulk of this latter fund to purposes that would come under the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund. Suppose we add tothe two Funds the amount actually subscribed and promised is £111,341. As some subscribers con-

tributions extend over five years, part of the money will not be available until the end of that period. As near as could be obtained from the records up till Alay last, some 4303 men had been recruited from the districts included in the area under control of the Hawke s Bay AVar Relief Association. It is more than reasonable to suppose by the middle of next year that the figure will be increased to 6000. Therefore the total subscriptions collected and promised do not amount to £l9 per man Surelv it is only fair that the man that has not yet returned should have his fair share protected until he does come back, and 1 sa\ the governing body of the Patriotic Funds would be committing a deliberate breach of trust if they failed to do so. Any soldier that is able to earn a living that tries to obtain more than his fair snare, or the money available, is beating his mates who are returning later. It would be a sad state of affairs when the last big lot of men returned after the war is over, if there was nothing left to help them. It is, ot course, recognised by the present controllers of the Funds that a great many soldiers returning will not avail themselves of the Patriotic moneys, and only 7 ask to get work. There have been a number of cases already that the Patriotic Committees have come in contact with, where returned soldiers have absolutely refused any money, saying that thev preferred to leave what there was for those permanently injured—the greater sufferers. y.ith this knowledge that many soldiers will not claim on the Funds, trie Association has already given to certain soldiers considerably more than twenty pounds. The seven local branches, Woodville, Dannevirke, AVaipukurau, AAaipawa, Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay or Havelock North, with centres at Hastings, have the right, without reference to the Central Control Body, to give nt any case they think deserving up to £5O. Ido not take much notice 01 people w'ho think, first of advertising themselves, and secondly, of the suffering soldier, but their nnsleadin<r statements as to funds available etc., have the effect of stopping subscriptions. . I should be glad to hear -of any real deserving case that has been refused help by the Association, but lam sure no such case exists. Everybody must know 7 how much easier it i's to give than to refuse. There is one thing that has frequently 7 occurred to my mind, and that is' the very large amounts that have been subscribed for charitable purposes outside . the Dominion when our own Soldiers’ Fund is so verv small. Surely w 7 e are quite en titled to consider our own sufferers first —charity at home. The fighting in France has been so terrible of late, that I fear soon we will have many returning that must be helped. With regard to soldiers going on the land, the position is this: —The Government will only allow men capable of working on a farm, and with experience of country life, to take part in the Land Ballot. When any soldier has been successful in darwing a section, the Government will find him money for the fencing and buildings requisite, also any stock he mav require up to £5OO. and he is allowed six months free of rent. AVith such a start in life and such generous treatment from the Government, the Patriotic Bodies think he should b? satisfied, as only c favoured few, comparatively, can be pla'eed on the land. The returned soldier that has not the necessary qualifications to participate in land ballots and has therefore no chance of going on a block of land, might justly 7 claim that the Government should start him in some other walk in life, that he had experience of before going to the war. With such a small amount of monev available, w 7 e are sure, the majority of the givers’ first wish is ♦hat the money they have contributed shall be used to help the sick and the sorry 7 , the widows and the orphans and those that cannot help themselves. It is regrettable that there are people in the community who, to suit their own purposes, invent grievances. Other centres outside Hawkes Bay, fbr instance, Auckland, absolutely’ refuse to assist men going on the land to any greater extent than if they were not going on land.