Criticism, But No Alternative To Patriotic Scheme

Northern Advocate, 27 April 1940, Page 5

Criticism, But No Alternative To Patriotic Scheme

“That having faithfully complied, over a period of nearly three months, with the administration of patriotic funds on the existing principle, this committee is of the opinion that the system of control is unsatisfactory. “It affirms the principle that local control of local funds will stimulate local interest and support and in every way facilitate the work of the committee and the welfare of our soldiers.” “That in view of the fact that only a small proportion of the £BO forwarded in December to headquarters has been returned to this district in the form of wool materials, this committee feels that a collection in the immediate future is unnecessary and would not be well supported.” These two resolutions were received at a meeting of the Hobson subzone from a women’s committee in the district, and forwarded for discussion at the Northland Zone A Patriotic Committee last night. The chairman (Mr W. Jones) stressed the difficulty for each individual district to keep track of its own men and said that to do so under the present legislation would be definitely against the law. People Dissatisfied. He knew that people were dissatisfied, but, even so, the zone executive could do nothing about it. Mr J. W. Parkin said that there were many people in country districts who would feel as Hobson did. However, until some better scheme were suggested, he agreed with Mr Jones that nothing couid be done to improve the position. Mr Parkin did not agree that the best method was now in operation. He felt that parcels should be handled by the quartermaster-general and his staff and not by special gift officers. Hobson had voiced the dissatisfaction that was felt in many districts, but no good would come from it unless some constructive suggestion was put forward. Mr Jones disagreed with Mr Parkin in that he believed the special gift officer and his staff would have the job of seeing that every living soldier received a parcel sent to him. It would be his special job to do so. Semi Gifts Individually. There was nothing to stop the Dargaville people sending gifts to their own soldiers individually, but they could not do it under the patriotic organisation. Efforts were still being made to have private parcels sent duty-free, as were official ones.

Mr Jones was sorry that Hobson delegates had not attended the meeting to present their case. However, he was satisfied that everything sent to soldiers was being received by them, as recent letters from overseas went to prove. The executive decided to point out to Hobson that it had direct representation on the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council and that records showed that on all the provincial councils the smaller towns had the preponderance of voting power ana consequently control the spending of the money. The executive invited the Hobson zone to reconsider the matter of providing further funds towards the finances of the Auckland Provincial Council. Dargaville Chamber Motion. The secretary of the Hobson Patriotic Executive also forwarded the following resolution received from the Dargaville Chamber of Commerce, and which had been addressed to the Minister for Internal Affairs: “That in the opinion of the chamber the present system of collecting patriotic funds is a failure and respectfully suggests that the public would willingly respond if the funds raised were allowed to be handled by and under the control of local patriotic committees, who would spend the money for the benefit of the soldiers of the district in which the funds were raised.” In a comprehensive resolution, the zone executive said that the greater activity in mind should be that once a man enlisted he became a New Zealand sailor, soldier or airman, and should be treated as such. The main reason advanced for local control had been that each district desired to help only the enlisted men from its own district.