Feilding District Patriotic Activities

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 265, 7 November 1941, Page 2

Feilding District Patriotic Activities

MEETING OF ZONE COMMITTEE Zone E Patriotic Committee representing the Feilding district area, met at the Borough Council Chambers, Feilding, last evening, the Mayor (Mr. T. L. Seddon) presiding. There were also present Messrs. G. J. Fitzpatrick (Chamber of Commerce), L. J. Thompson and R. A. Gordon (Huntervilie Town Board), A. K. Drew (Manawatu County Council), W. Trueman and W. G. Nye (Foxton Borough Council), W. McKay (Apiti Patriotic Committee), F. P. Mahoney (Mangaweka Town Board), L. E. Weston and A. R. Kirton (Ohingaiti Patriotic Committee) and C. H. Tate (secretary).

Notification was received from the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council that ample supplies of knitting wool were now available and it was proposed to increase substantially Zone E's allocation. Mr. Tate said that there would be no difficulty in absorbing the additional wool. Mr. Trueman questioned whether Foxton could deal with any additional issue and present supplies i were more than sufficient. It was announced that the National Patriotic Council was raffling a valuable piece of tapestry which was on exhibition at the Centennial’Exhibition and had been donated for patriotic purposes. On the subject of parcels for soldiers overseas, the 'Provincial Patriotic Council advised against the inclusion of honey in parcels. “I think this proves that the soldiers have been well treated," said the chairman in dealing with a circular letter from the National Patriotic Council outlining details of expenditure for the welfare of our troops in Fiji and stating that the total cost represented £6 per man. The chairman recalled that certain press publicity had complained about the inadequacy of patriotic comforts to New Zealand soldiers in Fiji and the letter cleared away any doubts which may have arisen over this publicity.

Out of the patriotic moneys raised by the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council, a sum of £IOO,OOO had been put aside for rehabilitation purposes. Mr. Seddon said that efforts were still being made to have the civilian clothing grant increased from £7 10s to £ls.

In reply to Mr. Weston the chairman said, that the booklet dealing with rehabilitation procedure had not yet been published. The zone committee would actually have very little to do in actual rehabilitation, because that would be the function of the Government but it would be concerned with the making of small grants to meet any peculiar circumstances between the time of discharge and rehabilitation. Actually men upon discharge would come under tho Social Security Department. Verystrong pressure was being brought to bear upon the Government to increase the civilian clothing allowance to £*s which was considered the minimum necessary for the purpose.

Reviewing the annual accounts of the Provincial Patriotic Council, the Mayor said that Zone E had raised within the year ended September 30 £13,883 while the Provincial Council had been credited with £IOOO representing proceeds from the sale of waste. In reply to Mr. Weston, Mr. Seddon said that the zone had not quite realised its quota in the £1,000,000 appeal although if credit was taken for the £2OOO remitted before the launching of this appeal, the quota had been exceeded. Many zones with held funds pending an appeal whereas in Zone E’s case all moneys received were remitted monthly. The meeting agreed to allocate a sura towards meeting any loss by the Feild ing Spinsters' Club in connection with the bus service engaged to bring Air Force trainees to Feilding on Saturday nights. Visiting delegates commended the work of the Spinsters’ Club.