WAR RELIF ASSOCIATION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 22 May 1919, Page 4

WAR RELIF ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Taranaki ox'xri Association was Held at Stratford yesterday. Present: Messrs w V Kirkwood (Stratford, chairman), V\. J. Crawshaw (Stratford), F W locker, C. A. Larcombe (Patea), L b' Grimstone, T. B. Crump (Eltham) d' L. A. Astbury, A. E. Washer (Farmers' Union), J. g. McKay, J F Stevenson (Manaia), W. E. Percival, J. W. Wmneld (Inglewood), F C G Heron, F. W. Atkinson (North Taranaki),. R. Sage (Hawera), W J pt aSth a"d a E- ***** <NThe following members of the executive were reappointed: Messrs C E Bellnnger, F. W. Atkinson, T. B* Crump, A. E. Washer, C A Larcombe, W. P. Kirkwood, J. F. gtevenson, F Mills (Hawera)', and WE. lercival. Is o nominations were received from the County of Egmont ana the Ji.o.A. EXECUTIVE'S REPORT. . This report showed that, despite an increase in expenditure compared with !vn^S V1°Uu yea,r' £ the credit of «»e wounded soldiers' fund account, with the loan account, stands in excess of the previous year by £1501 11s 6d Ihe subscriptions for the year 191°8 U AW^ t£2966 ,18s 1Od: ApS g^&lara^riee te 5£% V\ In^wood ComSiit tee, £603; December, 1918, Inslewood special jeßart, £339;' September 1918 £14 n 50 a ■°Mnmitt^ special effoil;. The executive forwarded' the following amounts for the use of soldiers abroad: Regimental ,funds, three in! Regarding soldiers on the Hand, applications flowed in fairly freely,' and loans were continued until the executive committee had allocated and £! SBS^OaP^ atlOll S *>-the. amount of £18,000. Others have been assisted in fSniw' aCqUirinS dwellings and wiH,° th? n £ 500 cas^ were dealt with and relief granted by the Association and local branches, the SKSJn *£?**?, the Branches'beinS £3124 0s sd. Grants made by way of loans to assist men on the land, busine|s or houses amounted to £88 489 Subscriptions to the wounded' soldiers' fund received from local branches from the inception of the Association on March 31, 1919, calculated to the nearest £, . rre as follows: ilO3^'^ 12 2655. New iJlynioutt £10,215; Hawera, £9795: North Tara- |: 4? 04 5 m}t am ' £4439 J Manaia and S*™*» f2822; Inglewx,od, £2198; ™ty .of E Smont, £1670 The sick and wounded soldiers' and dependents', fund, including loan fund aTSakfi 1 S* of rch 31 ' -1919' stands at ±5d,498 8s 9d, as against £51,996 17s 9d. The chairman, in moving the adop- ''l tion of the report, said it was a mat^' i ter tor congratulation that while all ' necessitous cases had been provided for and every reasonable assistance given ' the present financial position would permit of the adoption of a fairly liberal policy for the future. Their funds were more? liquid, he believed, than < those of any other association in New \ Zealand. Their furthest investment would mature in 1923. As a result of i this the executive would be able to shape more readily any policy it may seem advisable to adopt. In regard to assistance to returned soldiers he was of opinion that those permanently disabled should receive consideration, say, in the way of a straight-out grant. The amount of loan allowed by the ! Government for improved land was ! not sufficient. To soldiers going on to bush-lands £1000 to £1250 was grant- I ed, but the advances to those taking ' up improved lands were limited to < from £500 to £750. They hoped, in ! ! the latter case to see the amounT of | the- advance raised to £1000. Soldiers 1 had been agitating for some time for the power to dispose of their goodwill, but if the advance from the State was sufficient in the first instance this ! power would not be required. The 'idea was to get ready money with which to acquire land which could be j worked more advantageously. The men I without capital at their command Were not able to purchase the best class of stock. It would be better for the man I and for the Government also if the allowance was raised to a figure which would- enable the soldier to get a good start. To put all men, fit and willing to go, on the land would mean very | heavy expenditure, but it was a good j proposition. He knew of no better ! security in the world than the broad acres of New Zealand. More men I should be settled in Taranaki. Of all the men settled here he did not think there had been one failure—certainly not where a man had been selected for his fitness to go on the land. The i prospects for settlement here were very bright indeed. He was quite satisfied that the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, if given ja > free hand, would work along sound lines.

}Mr T. B. Crump, in seconding, said that in regard to future policy, there I was no stage in the history of the Association when so many difficulties were presented, but the new executive would find the funds in such a condition that I they would have a free hand in deciding upon a policy for the future. That was a very fortunate state of affairs for which past executives might very well take credit. As for the loan policy of the executive he had no hesitation in saying that it was one- of the finest features of the Association's work in past years, though it was a policy which met with little sympathy in other parts of New Zealand. They had lent to soli diers substantial sums up to £500. Pres- ' sure had been brought to bear to pre- [ vent this, but the success of the policy had convinced very many of the Associations throughout New Zealand that the policy was wise and sound. The 'granting'of substantial loans had been discontinued some months ago. Whether the policy which had been suspended should be resumed was a matter for the n6W executive to consider. It was a question whether they should not grant in the future loans up fo £200 or £300 for special purposes to men on the land or going into businesses, for short periods of two or three years. Thei-ej were j cases where men needed loans for special purposes which could not be obtained on satisfactory terms through the ordinary channels of finance. Land settlement was the most important and the most difficult question they had to deal with. He was of opinion that £1000 should be allowed on improved land, and this would be an adequate and liberal provision. Of course a man was not restricted to the J3tate. A second mortgage could be effected outside provided the vendor was agreeable. A great many cases came under, his notice in which the price of land was too high for a soldier to avail himself of the Gov-1 ernment scheme, and he did not see how under present conditions they could settle a reasonable body of returned soldiers on the expensive lands of Tarana'ki. In other parts of New Zealand they were meeting with the same experience. The average soldier loofced for a farm of 150 acres, not 30 or 40

acres, and it was very difficult_to s^ft .= liow th.s man was gouig to get assist--s anc-e through- existing Government- ; legislation. The policy of the Aasocia^ '. tion should be shaped to help the returned soldiers to get on the land, j Mr bellringer agreed that the loan policy should be dropped. The difficulty they were up against was how to spend the money in hand in the way for which 'it was raised. The wishes of the donora j were that the money should go to the ■ men who had suffered toss. Last year I lie pointed out, they had only spent j £3000 of tkeir capital, but repayments i totalled £1980, so that only about £1136 had been used out of the accumulated ; funds. Their funds had increased duri ing the year by £1500, and &ey should 1 do something to make a portion of this money available as definite grants to (the men who had suifered some per- | manent injury. That was a policy which I had his fullest sympathy. They would , have to amplify the.r policy, and spend ; directly a, very much larger amount, .ot their funds than in past years j The chairman said that remits were, sent to the Advisory Board by the various War Belief Associations for consideration, and in this way they influenced the land policy for soldiers. Mr Stevenson said that with the loan • policy everything went well as long asthey had funds to lend, but the weak point was that they ran out of funds. , Ihe injustice was in lending money to men who returned ©arly in the war .while now men who had been right" ! through the war would receive nothing m this way. There were many in need? of loans, and he was quite certain that he could bring in applications from- hU, ownidisbrict alone for £50,000. The Association could do much-good bv vcoa- v ■ tinuing the £500 basis. He thought , :1* a great pity that the Government . should pass measures debarring Tara~ < | naki men from the advantages- of pro-- ! curing farms in this district. The Government had only acquired two holdr lings, and these were freehold. One was. : a SO-oow holding, and at the time it was* purchased the ruling^rice for co.ws.wa*. ji-10. let. the Government would only advance a soldier settler £500 He ■ j favored placing returned soldiers om j leasehold . Every farmer who had startled in Taranaki during the last 15 or--20 years had started on leasehold and; soldiers should be able to start ii> the* same way. The Government always had' ample security and had nothing to tear. Ihe smallest holding in his dis--jtnct was 30 to 40 cows, and, taking , cows at £20 each, with buildings etc a man was^ absolutely debarred from" reaping any benefit from the Government advances. The, time.had arrived when the Government should reviseHta. 1 system. The Act was;not.much, good tor soldiers on the richer lands of New Zealand. Mr Sage expressed the. view.that theAssociation should look to the^ future", i uthe years to come they, would hay« ; soldiers suffering from the.effects of the jwar. A^sum of money should.be set aside to meet cases of this. kind^. The chairmna said thi«. would W-oon.----sidered when the Association re-framed its policy. The report was adopted. ' ,Tne question of allowances to returned soldiers for^elothes was discussed. | Ihe chairman said it had been decided ■in necessitous eases; to allow up to .£lO • j Ino oMiirman moved that it be a r«v commendation to the new executive that ,a special grant or a weekly allowance — be made to all permanently disabled ' soldiers In such cases special consideration should b© shown, even though, a man may be in receipt of a pension and j a living wage. He thought a straight- . out grant would b^ better than a weekly allowance. The motion was carried * '■ It was further decided to recommend tor favorable consideration by the new .executive the extension of scholarships. ' Ihe chairman asked if the meeting ' would also adopt the policy that loans, except m special cases, be discontinued. Mr Atkinson said he would like to see that held over. If the recommendation was adopted there would be cropping up rrom time to time-.cams for which they I could make -no provision. There were i certain men who would derive immense , assistance from a small loan. They > U lg^?^for n^ me -tu^'yet with loans i«P to £100. There might, be cases where £100 would do a; vast amount of ■ good. , . ... Mr Bellringer said he would favor the loan^ of sums not exceeding £100 in, ' specific circumstances. He moved in this direction. A member said it would appear to- : him that, with a'capital of £53,000 they I iriight lend money up to half that amoiutfe. : s' . The chairman said he did notf'think he could support the motion. If it was j carried they would have numerous applications, and when these were refused [ there would be dissatisfaction. A grant would meet the case just as wdll. The policy in future would'have to be more liberal than in the past. H e did not j wish to curtail, but extend, and con-' ; sadered that the best way was to give the soldier the money. \ / s. The' motion was withdrawn._ The Hawera representative moved that it be a recommendation'to the incoming executive that the amount a lo- - ca! committee could grant be increased from £10 to £20. s The motion was lost. Mr Atkinson moved a vote of appreciation of the finance and emergency committees. The former had the fund* in a real good state,- and if the latter had any fault it consisted in being toodiffident. This concluded the business. MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVT. At a meeting of the executive Mi ' Kirkwood was re-elected chairman and Mr Crump treasurer, and'vine outgoing emergency committee was re-elected. The finance committee 'was also reelected. The Patea Bed Cross and Soldiers' Comforts Society forwarded £102 75,. balance of funds in hand, for use by the Association.—lt was decided to. thank the Society. A number of applications for assistance were dealt with. —Taranaki News^