THE BELGIUM FUND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17080, 1 February 1916, Page 5

THE BELGIUM FUND.

DISCUSSED BY CITY COUNCIL

REPRESENTATION ON EXECUTIVE

CRITICISED.

At last evening’s meeting of the City Council, the method of administration of the Belgium Fund came in for a. great dead of criticism .at the hfuids of various speakers. The executive of the Belgium Fund wrote forwarding a resolution affirming its readiness to add to the executive representatives ol’ groups of local bodies as suggested at rile conference on December 11 presided over by the Hon G. W. Russell, on receiving an assurance that such local bodies would contribute their share (as allotted) of the Canterbury quota as from the beginning of the year. The Mayor said the conference suggested that the city of Christchurch and the adjoining local bodies had the right to elect one member of the committee. He believed the executive at present consisted of eight members. Councillor J. M’Combs: And they are self-appointed, are they not? And theft now propose to allow four representatives to be nominated to represent the public of Canterbury. * The Mayor - briefly' '’ butlin'bd' the'

events leading up to'the conference of December 11, and’ said that there had been a difference of opinion at that conference which led to the chairman of the executive leaving the meeting. The difference arose out of the proposal to add representatives of the local .bodies to the executive. Recently the executive had decided to send fund's to Belgium without reference to tlj'e. Government. The speaker presumed that

in that case there would be no Government subsidy. He thought the local bodies who provided the fund should administer it by themselves, and therefore he had no recommendation to make jp. reference..to the Belgian Eund propo.skjs. ML O'M Councillor F. Burgoyne said that the council should discontinue its contribution to the fund. The Government had failed to do its duty. The money should have been raised by the Government. by taxation. He moved that no action should be taken. .Councillor -T. O. Jameson seconded the motion pro forma, and appealed to the Mayor to d'o hi« best, to smooth awav certain little differences of'opinion which at present militated against the interests of the fund.. Councillor M’Combs said the council should carry the motion as a protest against the proposed lop-sided executive. which would contain eight selfappointed members, as against four members representing the public bodies contributing to the fund. He thought it quite improper to hand, over public money to such -a preposterously constituted committee. Councillor -7. R. Hayward moved as an amendment that the Mayor should be asked to convene a’ conference with the view of setting up a separate committee to deal with the contributions from local bodies, leaving the present executive to deal with voluntary subscriptions. Councillor D. G. Sullivan seconded' Councillor Hayward’s motion pro

forma, and said it was an impossible position to create. The two committees would be in the dark in regard to each other’s operations. Canterbury had done its duty by the Belgian people. A sum of £67.000 had been sent to Belgium from Canterbury outside the quota. Councillor Hayward: Thanks to the executive. ’ Councillor Sullivan said the thanks were due to the contributors as well as to the executive. He wanted to reply to the insinuation that Canterbury had | not done its duty in this matter. , •The Mayor said he did not for a mo- | ment desire to see Canterbury fail to find its quota. He regarded the mo- j tion as a" motion of protest, and not as | an indication that the council would | no,t contribute. After further discussion, the Mayor asked Councillor Burgoyne if he would

withdraw Jus motion in favour oi one leaving the matter in the hands of the Mayor for a fortnight. Councillor Burgoyne said he would not- withdraw the motion. Tt was one that, ought to he carried. The amendment was put and lost. Councillor A. S. Taylor moved as a further amendment that the letter should he received, and' that it should he,left to the Mayor to make a statement on the subject at next meeting with a view to allowing of a conference*i in the meantime. j Councillor M'Comb- . '1 that no | position arrived at won'- tolerable to the council which allowed the selfappointed members of the executive to outnumber the publicly appointed onef Councillor Burgoyne said the matter had been in the hand's of the Mayor for eighteen months, and they were now asking him to settle matters in a fortnight.. The Mayor said anything he would do would he subject to confirmation by the council. The amendment was carried by 13 votes to 3.