PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17096, 19 February 1916, Page 8

PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Representatives of patriotic societies and those Ministers of the Crown who took part, in the conference at 'Wellington may be heartily complimented upon the results of their deliberations. Tho respective responsibilities of the Government, and' the societies have been decided in the right way, it being now thoroughly established that, the existence nf substantial patriotic funds cannot, absolve the State from its obligations to soldiers and their dependents, but that the funds arc available for supplementing State allowances. that is obviously (lie correct definition of the position. Whatever arrangements are made by the Government, they must, necessarily he of too uniform a character to meet all cases, and there will he very many instances calling for I further aid. The funds were never intended to relieve the public exchequer. They were never intended to provide for the equipment of a soldier or for the j erection of hospitals. They were subI scribed for the purpose, as the resoluj tion of the conference has affirmed, of I minimising tho suffering arising out of 1 the war, and that means the suffering j that cannot he treated with sufficient j liberality through scheduled State payments. In ibis highly important matter of apportioning responsibility, the conference has cleared the air, and' subscribers will have more confidence. The of the societies, with a eenj tral Advisory Board, ought to make for j satisfactory administration, and tho investment of the funds, which are sub- | stan tiaJ, in recognised securities will I ensure stability. The voting of £'3ooo to provide comforts for New Zealand sick and' wounded soldiers abroad may appear like clashing with the functions of the Red Cross Society, but the general purposes of the patriotic funds are elastic enough for that. Mlinfc particularly needed to he settled was that private subscriptions must not, be used in sucli a way as to cut down the provision that; otherwise would be made Iby the State. Tf that, wore done, the soldiers and dependents would really be robbed. The settlement of that question is the best work of a useful conference.