OTAGO SOLDIERS' FUND.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13935, 18 July 1917, Page 3

OTAGO SOLDIERS' FUND.

POOR RESPONSE TO COMMITTEE'S APPEAL. DUNE DIN, July' Hi. The poor response made in answer to the public appeal for SIOO,OOO to be raised towards soldiers and their dependants was the subject of a complaint, by Mr .1, A, Johnstone, chairman of the Otago Patriotic Association, at to-day 's meeting of that body, lie said that in Auckland the Patriotic Association inaugurated a campaign for the Y.M.C.A. Trench Comforts Fund. The campaign resulted in a sum of £-15,000 being raised. There were .>OOO contributors to the fund, and the average was thus £ls per contributor. Jn Cl.ristchurch last month a movement was set on footto. collect £160,000 to build and maintain in that city a nursing home for .babies. Almost the whole of that amount was subscribed by voluntary contributions in two or three weeks. <"lt vjill__ b&, agreed, I think, that,the. appeal of the Otago Soldiers' Fund is at least of equal importance with these two efforts," lie said, "and yet there is no steady inflow of contributions to it."

Lieutenant-Colonel Stoneham thought the executive should express disapproval of a letter from the Second Division League which had appeared in the press, and which urged the public not to contribute to the fund now being raised, on the ground that the Government should make all necessary provision, No action was taken by the meeting in the direction suggested.