PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17665, 18 December 1917, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

DUNEDIN'S DISAPPOINTING

RESPONSE.

[From Our Correspondent.]

DUNEDIN, December 17

Complaint was again made at today's meeting of the Patriotic Association of the apathy of Otago people in regard to tho public appeals tor funds. Mr J. A. Johnstone, in this connection, and said that no one of unbiased mind, who had carefully examined the published lists of subscribers to the fund, and who had any knowledge of the circumstances of the people, would dare to say that the response to the numerous appeals had been at all general or in keening with the means of the great majority of the citizens and of their brethren on the land. He had endeavoured to find logical grounds for tits apparent apathy of the people of Otago towards the vitally important fund, but without success. Many pretexts by way of excuse had been offered; but not one of them was valid when considered in the light of the priceless debt, we owed to the men of this community whoso lives and service had been given to the cause. It was with much regret and profound dismay that he made these remarks, but a sense of duty impelled him to do so. The appeal was for £200,000, and as a result of the latest effort barely £13,000 was raised, bringing the total received to date up to about £145,000. What had the experience been in raising this amount? Briefly this: One and all of the wealthy banking institutions trading in the-r midst had refused to contribute to the fund. Many of the large business houses had afforded no help at all, and some who made promises had not redeemed them, whilst the majority of the citizens had confined their support of patriotic funds to handing in their silver coins to the self-sacrificing women who periodically appeared in the public streets to collect contributions. In tho country districts the experience had been much the same. Some individuals had been most generous in their support, but the great majority had failed to respond to the appeals! It had not been so in other parts of the Dominion. Tho Mayor (Mr Cfark). added an expression of his disappointment at the result of the effort put forth withit the last six months. They were paying out over £2OOO a month and very little was coming in. and if this state of affairs continued, even with the) utmost economy, there would bo little or nothing for the men who were coming back.