THE PATRIOTIC FUND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11432, 24 July 1900, Page 6

THE PATRIOTIC FUND.

xoimiNGOl AUCKLAND COMMITTEE.

OPPOSITION TO PREMIER'S SCHEME. A meeting' of the Patriotic''Fund Committee was held in the Council Chambers, ' Municipal Buildings yesterday, His Worship the Mayor, Mr. D. Goldie, in the chair. There were also present: The Rev. Geo. Mac Murray, Rabbi Goldstein, Messrs. Jas.'Kirker, R. R. Hunt, J. Burns; M.' A. dark, J. H. Upton, J. "Warnock. .•;.'

A telegram, dated July 17, was read from the Premier, stating that as a conference of mayors, the majority of whom wore also chairmen of patriotio fund committees, was being held in Wellington, it seemed that the time was opportune for dealing with the question of the disposal of the moneyß in the hands of the various committees. He suggested that a conference of delegates representing all the committees be held in Wellington at an early date, with a view of submitting legislation to Parliament providing that the funds might bo dealt with in a comprehensive manner. If the suggestion was approved of, he would be pleased to meet the delegates. The Chairman said the Premier had apparently anticipated early replies from the various centres, as tho day after the telegram had boon despatched, Mr. Seddon waited on the conference. He brought with him a heap of telegrams supporting the proposed legislation, and with outsiders prosent at the meeting, the proposals of the Premier—which meant the pooling of the moneys collected and the vesting of Hie fund in the Public Trustee— confirmed, though such would not have been the case had the matter been left in the hands of tho members of the conference, as at a subsequent meoting the majority wore against the proposals. He and Mr. Grev, another Auckland delegate, had opposed the proposed legislation and pooling of the moneys. Mr. Kirkei strongly opposed tho handing of the money over to the Government, and pointed out that when the subscription lists had been circulated, it was clearly stated that the moneys collected were to go to the patriotic fund, with the .Lord Mayor of London as the head of that fund. As the monoys were therefore held in trust-on behalf of the Lord Mayor of London, he could not see how they could agree to a course such as that proposed by tho Premier without first obtaining the consent of tho Lord Mayor and the subscribers.

The Rev. MacMm-ray supported Mr. Kirker's remarks, and said that if tho matter was one for the Government, then the Government should not havo left it to the public to contribute in the first instance, but should have raised the money by means of taxation. The movement had been a purely philanthropic one, and ho believed that had the public thought for a moment that they wore to be asked to hand the money over to the Government, the response to the appeal would not have resulted in the collection of anything like tho amount that had been collected.

Messrs. Upton, Burns, and others presont also entered their protest against Government interference.

Or the motion of Mr. Kirker, seconded by Mr. Upton, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:-l. "That with reference to the Premier's telegram of the 17th inst. suggesting that all the patriotic funds be vested in the Public Trustee, this committee desires to place on record its strong dissent to any such proposal." 2. "That in view of the fact that tho Auckland patriotic fund is in effect held in trunt on behalf of tho Lord Mayor of London, this committeo must protest against any diversion of tho trust without the consent of the Lord Mayor of London and subscribers to tho fund boing first obtained." 3. "That this committee has token care that no case of distress in the Auckland provincial district deserving help lias been left unenred for." It was also decided, on tho motion of the Rev. Mr. Mac Murray, seconded by Mr. Kirker, "That a formal request be made to the treasurers of the Rough Riders' fund for any surplus moneys now in that fund."

THE PREMIER'S VIEWS. REPLY TO THE MAYOR OF AUCKLAND. [BY TELKGIUPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] Wellington, Monday. The Premier to-day received a telegram from Mr. J. Mills, chairman of the Dunedin Patriotic Fund Committee, and Mr. D. Goldie, chairman of the Auckland fund, with reference to tho proposed legislation for the distribution of the funds. He sent the following reply, addressed to Mr. Mills ami Mr. Goldio:—"It is tho desire of tho Government to work with, and not in opposition to, the wishes of those who have been chiefly instrumental in raising tho money for a truly patriotic purpose, and who are best entitled to decide as to its distribution. There is at present no defined trust established, and what we proposed to do was to legislate in that direction, and that there wore to be local trustee? who should invest and distribute the monoy under conditions in lino with those laid down when the moneys were subscribed. It was suggested that the Mayors of the four large centres should be ex officio members of tho trust, and the other trustees were to be elected by the subscribers. It is unnecessary for me to point out to you as business men the desirability of removing the present uncertain condition of affairs, There are subscribers who say that the moneys were all to go to the Mansion House fund; others say the moneys were otherwiso to be applied. Under those circumstances it is unnecessary for mo to point out that at the prcsont time those holding these moneys and tho committees are responsible to individual subscribers, and that tho moneys have been contributed by subscribers under different conditions. It is my intention to get a Bill drafted, send it on to each of tho committeos, and then have a conference of tho various delegates elected by the committees, and finally decide upon the matter. It is also unnecessary for me to remind you of what occurred in respect to the Kaitangata sul»oriptions, and that ultimately the Legislature had to step in and save the residue. I express no opinion on tho fact that over £20,000 lias left this colony and been sont to the Mansion House fund, and you have not had twenty pence returned, and, in my opinion, never will. It has been brought under my notice that somo of our contingents invalided home have left Capo Colony penniless and ill-clad, whiM there are agents who were seeing to the Imperial soldiers and wero meeting their requirements out of what is known as the Tommy Atkins fund. I only point this out to show that whilst your comraitteo is very keen now to keep tho control and distribution of tho residue of the monoys subscribed, you have sent away a larger amount of the money, handed over to the Lord Mayor of London, and that you have no control whatever. In fact, after going carefully into the matter I have never seen a letter sent to any committee from tho controller of the Mansion House fund as to what they would do with the money, or as to how it stood at the present moment, and if not out of place, I would advise your committee to know what they intend to do with it, and whether or not those who subscribed it wero to be consulted as to its distribution. It appears to me now as if you did not seem inclined to trust the people of this colony, and whatever you may do, I assert that our eons fighting in the Cape are fighting to uphold the Constitution and the grand old flag, and are not fighting for provincial districts, but for the colony and tho Empire, and to say that, because a soldier came from an outlying district that practically to-morrow may havo no funds, that those dependent on him should want, whilst in other districts funds aro available, is a provincialism and a parochialism which does not commend itself to my judgment It is my desire tc work with you and havo the whole thing placed on a satisfactory footing There is no established trust at tho present time."

VIEWS OF THE MAYOR OF WELLINGTON. [BY TEI.KGRAHI.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Monday. The Mayor of Wellington objoots to the Premier's proposal to deal with tho various patriotic funds under a national scheme. He says it was a municipal idea altogether that led tc tho promotion of funds in the various cities, and tho monoy which tho citizens freely subscribed for a speoifio purpose should bo disbursed in the ( direction indicated by subscribers themselves. Ho. strongly favours a Central Distributing Committee, and failing that, he thinks local distribution is uoxt tMlsli thing.