NATIONAL WAR FUNDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 199, 24 July 1931, Page 8

NATIONAL WAR FUNDS

MEETING OF COUNCIL. WELLINGTON, July 24. “The time will arirve when an appeal will have to be made to the public to render further support to the exsoklier,” reported the executive of the sixteenth annual meeting of the National War Funds Council. Sir John Luke presided. The meeting was addressed hy Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, Minister in Charge of War Funds, who referred to the work transacted by the council since 1915, and thanked councillors for their unceasing efforts to further the interests of the returned soldier. Reports covering bequests were considered, including £397 by the late Mr Win. Pollard, of Blenheim, and £2OO by the late Mr J. T. Kilgour, Wellington. Appreciation was expressed of their generosity. It was noted that as the conditions of disbursement by the High Commissioner had been widened, extended relief to N.Z.E.F. men resident •in England was now possible. The establishment of advisory committees under the Soldiers’ Civil Reestablishment Act was fully reviewed. The fact that the committees would be functioning at an early date was noted, and the hope was expressed that these committees would be able to assist the disabled ex-soldier to take his place in civil life. A deputation from the Canteen Funds Board, consisting of Lieut.Colonel Beere and Major Forgie, waited on the council to request assistance in financing the committees pending other financial arrangements. The board had agreed to give financial assistance, and hoped the council and the British Red Cross and Order of St. John would also assist. After a full discussion, it was resolved to make a grant of £ISOO, provided that the necessary arrangements were made by the committee to carry out the policy as laid down. The position of unemployed ex-sol-diers was exhaustively reviewed. A deputation, led by Colonel G. Mitchell, asked that continued assistance should be given for unemployment relief.

A report on unemployment relief showed that since the last meeting £9033 had been distributed -to the patritic societies throughout the Dominion, and many societies had obtained subsidies from local bodies. Since July, 1927, the council had expended £23,348 in unemployment relief. It was decided to authorise the executive to disburse further relief up to £IO,OOO, part of which will be expended by granting one extra day’s work a week to marired men, and one extra day’s work a fortnight to single men, who are now working under the Unemployment Board, and thus augment their earnings. It was considered desirable to give relief by providing employment whenever possible to do so. Reports submitted by the executive, covering relief to .N.Z.E.F., Australian and Imperial ex-soldiers were perused. The sum actually refunded to societies during the year totalled £9BBB. Reference was also made to the grants made available to the New Zealand Association by the Canteen Board and to the assistance rendered by soldiers bv the various returned soldiers’ associations from their own funds, and by Poppy Day collections. A report was submitted by the executive covering the assets of the council, and the probability of being called upon in the near future to accept responsibility of various patriotic societies whose funds were nearing depletion. It stressed the necessity of husbanding the council’s funds as far as possible, so that assistance -would be available in the future. A statement of accounts covering balance-sheet, income and expenditure account, and advisory and trust accounts, was adopted. It was noted that the accumulated fund now stands at £166,111, as against £167,848 for the previous year. The income and expenditure account showed an excess of expenditure over income of £2357, but trust accounts were increaesd by £619, thus the net deficit totalled £1738.