DONATION OF £1000.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16646, 3 September 1914, Page 8

DONATION OF £IOOO.

LYTTETON HARBOUR BOARD'S GIFT FOR EMPIRE DEFENCE FUND. GOVERNMENT'S ACTION CRITICISED. At yesterday's meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board the Harbour Improvement Committee (a committee of the whole Board) recommended that the .Board should contribute £IOOO to the Empire Defence Fund. Mr J. Littlo protested against the proposal, on tho ground that the Board's funds were trust funds, which must be administered for a special purpose. The equipment and transport of troops should be a charge upon the Government's consolidated revenue. •. • , Mr J. J. Dougall said he agreed with that view. Had the recommendation been in tho direction of a donation to the fund for relieving distress it would havo been a different matter. He proceeded to refer to " this unfortunate war." Dr Thackor: "Why unfortunate? Mr Dougall said he could not agree with General Bernharde that war. was a good' thing' for any country. He moved-that the clause should be referred back to the committee. . Dr Thacker: "We must wipe the Germans out, root and branch." Mr A. Kaye said that the Board had no legal power at present to vote its money to any fund other than the Empire Defence Fund. He supported a suggestion that tho motion should' be referred back to tho committee. Mr M. J. Miller spoke in support of the' motion, his grounds being that encouragement should bo given to the Government and to every patriotic person in the Dominion. Mr F; Horrell took a similar, view. He said that the people should not wait until they were forced to pay a war tax before they helped to equip forces for the defence of the Empire. There was no patriotism in merely paying taxes. Dr Thacker: "Why hasn't the Government thoroughly clothed and equipped the Expeditionary Force? It has the money."

The chairman (the Hon R. Moore, M.L.C.), said he was astonished at the change of front of many of the members on this question since the committee meetings. When he was in Wellington he telephoned to several members, asking their opinion on the subject, and he would quote their replies. At the committeo meeting not a single member .raised his voice against the proposal. Mr Friedlander: "Will you tell us why?" ' The chairman said it did not matter why. Mr Dougall protested' against the introduction of personalities, and, after a short and warm discussion as to tho propriety of the disclosure of committee proceedings, the debate was steered into somewhat calmer waters. Mr H. Friedlander said that it was establishing a rather bad precedent for the chairman, after moving a resolution, to reply beforo all the members had expressed their opinion. The idea was that £IOOO should be subscribed, and that the Government would probably eventually givo a wider range of choice in regard to the direction in which the money should go than was at present the case. Tho Government's action in regard to tho Validation Act was wrong in principle. The Government should have undertaken {o find the whole cost of equipping and transporting the troops. Ho was very sorry there should have been a discussion, on the subject, at all. • Mr 0. J. Harper endorsed the view taken by Mr Friedlander. The committee made its recommendation before it understood the trend of tho Validation Act. Only the fringe of the war had been entered as yet. and later on the money might be much more necessary. The Government should havo undertaken the full equipment of the troops. . Mr C. Allison said tho committee knew exactly wliat it was doing when it made tho grant. It knew the Government was in financial difficulties and needed assistance. A storm of interruptions and interjections interrupted Mr Allison. Continuing, Mr Allison said that if the Government had not needed assistance it would not have appealed for it. Dr Thacker said he was not at the committee-meeting,' but he cot the chairman's telephone call. The only thing to do was to back up the chairman and the committee, give the £IOOO to the Empire Defence Fund, put pressure on the Government and get the Validation Act widened, and givo some more, later on, to the other funds. Mr G. Scott said that tho members of the committee had agreed to the grant with their eyes open, and 'the best to do was to carry out the committee's | decision.

Messrs J. Rtorry, J. R. Webb and T. D. Boagflspoke in support of the adoption of the committee's resolution. Mr Dougall said that after the discussion he was prepared, at the suggestion of Mr Kaye, to withdraw his amendment to the resolution.

The motion was put and carried, Mr Little dissenting.