APPEAL TO BOWLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16020, 11 September 1915, Page 9

APPEAL TO BOWLERS.

PROPOSED ROTORUA HOME. SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVE. The proposal of Auckland bowlers to raise - money for a convalescent home at Rotorua for wounded soldiers was the subject of a statement yesterday by Mr. Charles Rhodes, chairman of the Organising Committee of the carnival to be given in aid of the funds of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association. "Would it not be better," Mr. Rhodes asked, " for bowlers who are proposing to organise this fund to leave such a work to the State, whose duty it reallv is, and concentrate their efforts upon assisting the various patriotic funds of their districts All the money that can be collected, will, L am sure, be needed by the Auckland Provincial Patriotic War' Relief Association, and the Minister for Public Health has stated that the Government will make all necessary provision for hospitals and convalescent homes. It seems, therefore, much more appropriate that bowlers should help a fund that must continue long after soldiers have left hospitals and convalescent homes. Patriotic funds will do a work for which the Consolidated Fund is not available."

That the opinion of bowlers on this question is not at all unanimous will be seen by the following extract from a circular letter forwarded to members of the Auckland Bowling Club, by the secretary, Mr. S. Coldicutt:—"Your committee ha* fully discussed the scheme of the Auckland Centre of the Dominion Bowling Association to form a bowlers' fund for the purpose of assisting the Government to equip a convalescent home at Rotorua for incapacitated soldiers. The committee fully recognises our responsibility and "'the necessity for assisting to the fullest extent to supply the wants and relieve the necessities of our wounded heroes and their dependents, but it is of the opinion that the best method of doing this would be to devote the club's contribution to a fund which will provide comforts and relief beyond that for which the Government has made provision." The matter will be discussed by members of the club at a meeting to be held next week.