NEW ZEALAND & THE WAR.

Mataura Ensign, 12 January 1916, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND & THE WAR.

PATRIOTIC FUNDS. KQEIPMEXT OE KOTOKEA HOME. AYELLIXCTOX. Jan. 11. The Executive Committee of the Wellington W'r.v Relief Association met o-day. Mr AY. Ferguson presiding. The chairman, .secretary, and the Mayor of AYciliugtou were enipowered o deal with einwirciicv cases. The chairman siaiod that the Christ■hui'ch War Relief Association had .sen! "he AYellington Patriotic Society a list showing the amounts each ispplicant had received during tlie month. His >pin:oM, Inwc.vcr, w:\s that the ] ; st should not. give such particulars, as the i'uml was not a charitable one. but the natter of is,suin;.>; lists required consideration in order that they nrglit ivd'il overlapping. Mi' Hil! cite<l a case in which a man bad drawn ir'on no less tliau live societies. Several members expressed the opiu"on that coordination between the different societies to prevent ovcl'la I) |»i 11 <r was very necessary-. The committee then considered a letter received by the Mayor from the Minister for Public Health, requesting hah the'AYar Relief As.socia t ion should assist in- providing funds for the equipment of the Rolorua Convalescent Home io,- Sick am! Woumlcd Soldiers. The chairman said ihai he (hough! that, it was just ;is mueli l!ie duty of :he (.'overiimetii; to provide the equipment for the eonvaleseent home as io •irovide tin* home itself. He. felt, that the Government wa.< gettin 1 ;*; far too much into the habil of providing the bare minimum required by the Imperial Army regulations in such matters. The Government provided the bare minimum of equipment- I'or soldiers going to the front, and the same for oll'ioers. 'caving the provision even of such very 'leces-ary articles as lie id glasses and •ompasses to the general iniUl'c. and iow ilie Government was carrying that urinciple into the mat (cm- of sanatoria, L tc. jnst providing the minimum, the bare walls, and asking the general pttb'k: to find the necessiirv equipment. It ■vns decided to inform the Minister thai the association could not. accede to the request.

CITIZENS' DEFENCE COMMITTEE. The ordinary mooting of the Cit'/ons' Defence Committee was held ve'-terdav afternoon and attended''hy Messrs D. L. Poppehvell (chairman),' "W. IT. P. Fleming (secretary). J. B. Oilmonr (assistant secretary), A. (I. Clarke (treaturor). "\V. Rohson, E. A. P : «reon, A. Martin and Mrs I). L. Poppelwell and Miss MeLauchlan. CORRESPOXDEXCR. The -organiser of the proposed National Service League, Masterton, wrote relative to the scheme lor organising returned so'diers. The letter was held over pending further information regarding the scheme. I). McDongall (Mayor) wrote asking for ti list of the membership of the committee and asking how many of its members were representative ol .the workers. He also wished to know if it wa-; thought that the hour of meeting (4 30 p.m.) was a suitah'e one tor work-. ers, seeing that many of them dul not cease work unt : l (Sp.m. i.t was resolved to inform the writer that "he majority of the members of the committee and its officers were elected at. a public meeting over which he (the Mavor) had presided on /November 20 and the list pf the additional members was miblishod in the -'Mataura Ensign' on December' 7. If it was thought desnab'e lo add additional names Lo th" committee it will lie pleased to add those recommended. The committee lised its hour of meeting. A circular was received from the

Minister lor Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) -pointing out that as 3000' men have already returned to New Zealand it is desirable That a conference of ■ patriotic committees be held, say,' on the first "Wednesday in February. It was resolved to hold consideration of the matter over pending the. action of the Southland Committee on the matter. The Under-Secretary lor Internal Affairs wrote stating that where articles were addressed to the men at the front and was so specifically stated' on the case the officer at the base would be only too pleased to see that the wishes of the donors were carried out as far as possible. The letter was received. Mrs Roppolwell stated that local gifts were sent through the Dunodin Ladies' Association.

The Under-Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs wrote under date Decteniher "JO stating that he had asked for certain particulars on Oct. 10 which had not yet been supplied by the Gore Committee. The secretary stated that the ex-treasurer had supplied the information asked for in November last. It was resolved to inform flic writer accordingly. Tin- Under-Secretary of the Department of Interna! Affairs wrote asking for particulars of the funds to ,he. supplied' in the form. of a balance-sheet from the commencement of the fund 1.-o December .'!l, 191.",. The letter was received.

The secretary of the Waikaka Ladies' Liverpool Committee wrote asking a deputation from the Gore Ladies' Committee to visit "Waikaka. at the next meeting of the committee. I(, was resolved to Comply with the request. GEN MR A L. The report and balance-sheet of the Eastern District Queen Carnival Oomj petition were read. The document was discussed at some length, .several members considering that more explanatory details should have been "iven. Kveniually the report and balance-sheet were received. Tlie treasurer reported the credit balances of the various funds to be as follows : Wounded Soldiers' Knnd ... C27P> 4 10 Serbian Relief Fund - r >2 U"> 1 General "War Relief Knnd ... .'177 1-1 I Belgian Relief Knnd ... 101 !>' '* General Patriotic Knnd ... 02 '2 10 * ' lo;{o (i l The report was adopted. Accounts amounting to L'2 10s Id were passed for payment. Several minor matters of detail wore referred to the Finance Committee wit!; power to act. THE CALL TO ARMS. SOLDI ■F.'.RS VA R EVvELLED. popularity of Messrs Robert Dickie and Duncan Rankin in theMatatira district was evidenced la-t ni»ht, when over SO residents of the Waikana Yallev assembled in the barn at "Roa'v," the jiropertv of Mr Kinlay Markay. to bid them farewell prior to de•pariure for camp lo join the 12th Reiuforceiuents. The barn was tastefully decorated with evergreens for the occasion, and the "jatheriiig took the form of a banquet, a recherche repast being supplied by the ladies of the district. Air John Gray presided and proceedings commenced with the honoring of the loyal toast and the singing of a verse of the National Anthem.

The t'ollowiiicr toast-li.st was 'honored: "The Ariuv ami X'avy," proposed by Mr \Y. Pryde ami responded io by Captain James Mitchell: "Xew Zealand Territorials," proposed by .Mr A. X. MaeGibbon and" responded to bv Mr AY. Muir; "The Ladies of tbe Empire," proposed bv Mr A. .1. Thompson, to whi:h'Mr .\V. Pryde replied: and "A</rieultural and Pastoral Interests." proposed by Mr !•'. J. Sherwood- and responded to by Mr W. Cock burn. Mr James Mitchell" propped the "Parents of Our Guests," which was acknowledged by illr Robert Dickie, '-on., and Mr E. "Howmmi- proposed "The Waikana Ladies," which was acknowledged by Mi- C. Coekburn.

In proposing the '■ toast of "The (Incsiv or the F.vening." the chairman said that all present wore- aware of the purpose of the <j;a therino-, which was to b'd farewell to two of their younp; men who had offered; their services', to their country. Both wore well known and; highlvesteemed residents. Mr Dickie lia7l been horn in tlie district and had grown tup to manhood among them. -ll'* antecedents were ol' the best and' the speaker was sure lie would* t-oliehl ilie traditions of his people. .Mr Rankin had not heen very long among them, hut he had .proved" himself to he a <>o<id citizen and was a popular man. Moth thiv-ie men had heard the call in the hour of their country's need and were willing to help lo defend the Kmpiro. The .Allies were lighting for .insticeand' righteousness ('said the speaker I *. Some people might, hold that Uritain need' not have edme into (he struggle, hut if she had not the peace of the World would have heen disiurhed for ever. It wav the <nca!i'sl struggle the Hrilish Kmpire had ever entered into. The miesiK of the evening were fine specimens of manhood and heller could nob he found anywhere. The speaker trusted thai, (hey would hoth return from the war, and he ..could assure them of a hearty welcome. (hi behalf of the peo-ple of the district the chairman pro'■imtcd each recruit- with a wristlel. watch (which hole (he infcript ions, "Presented to .Messrs- Robert Dickie and Duncan Rankin i'mm Waikana friends") and'alrso a fountain-pen and poeket-hook. All heartilv joined in singing "For Thev Are doilv Cood Fellows." !Mr Robert .MoKride referred to the sterling dualities possessed hy the Dickie family and Mr Rankin. It wa* a pity'(he said) to see Mich line young" fellows leaving their homes, hut they recognised their duty and nui«t go to protect- us from Ccniian rule. 'Messrs A. .J. Thompson atul F. .'P.* Sherwood spoke highly of the two recruits, -whom they were sure would assist to uphold tlie honor of New Zealand in the struggle in which the Kmpire was engaged. Mr D. .Mtiir also spoke in eulogistic terms of tlie guests who (he said), wore hoth. made of the riirht stulf. He wished them Cods'pood and a safe return.'

Mr A X. Mao Gibbon said ho was pleased to sop tlisu tlio voting men wore iinino: to help the country in its hour of need, tie wns wo]] acquainted with both recruit's, who wore oi' a ■fine sta.mo of men. He trusted to sec tlioni liotli return a train• Mr R. Di.kie returned thanks for the oifts he had received and the kindly sentiments expressed hv the speakers. In retiu-niiKj; thanks Mr Dtinean Rankin -said that mhoo he liad arrived in the Wailfana Valley ho had discovered some of the finest people lie had over met. Tie thanked them all for their present and kind expressions. Durintr the proceedings Miss Mackay contributed a violin solo, AlissC. Mackay providiiijL'- Hie pianoforte accompaniment; and soups'wore rendered, hv Me-sr.s A. X. Macliibibon and Frank, T'lvlor and recitations by Messrs; AV. | Mnir and Robert Rryde. The toast of "T-lw> Chairman" was honored,"and votes el* thanks conferred' upon the ladies of the district and Mr and' Mrs Mackay for iho use of their barn. The sinirinir of "Aulil S'yne," "Will Ye. Xo Oomo_ Tbvck Ajiain," and a verse of the Xational Anthem concluded a very enjoyable j£atberin<f. Tlie barn was aftonvank cleared for daneino'. wliieli th.e younp- "iconic indulged in to ■limbic supplied by ..Misses M'cf!o«:in and Mackay.

LADIES' PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE, DONATIONS ACKNO \VLEDOED. The Ladies' Patviotoic Committee acknowledges j-eeeipt of the following donations: — LIVERPOOL FUND. Miss Leask, balaclava, pair socks; Mrs (.rant, two pairs socks- Miss M. J affray, balaclava ; Airs Cullen, balaclava; Mrs Hodge, books and hns.sifs; Mrs White, hiissifs; Miss R. "White, 22 button bags; -Airs C. .Shields, books; Miss Murnel Gerken (Knapdale), s<-arf and facer-loth. JAM KOR SOLDI ISRS. Mrs H. G'rahani s'x tinsgooseberry jam; -Mrs Speden. sen., six tins red currant .jam; Mrs J. Ueatfie, live tins gooseberry jam, seven tins black currant jam; Mrs M May. 12 tins gooseberry jam.