WAR BELIEF FUNDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16026, 18 September 1915, Page 5

WAR BELIEF FUNDS.

THEIR CONTROL DISCUSSED.

STATEMENT BY MAYOR.

MATTER FOR PROVINCE.

The executive of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association will be addressed next Monday evening by Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., who has played a prominent part in the movement to secure uniformity in the administration of patriotic funds.

Ihe Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, remarked yesterday that the public may rest assured that, so far as Auckland is concerned, there will be no attachment to the national scheme as first propored and considered by the conference held in Wellington. " Auckland is quite prepared," a j " to become associated with an Y.'? or y Board with headquarters at Wellington for the purpose of laying down general principles which would secure as nearly as possible uniformity of payments, prevent overlapping and also define the various districts. The suggestion that the funds should be controlled and administered from Wellington is not acceptable to the Auckland Patriotic and War Relief Association, and it is only wasting time to discuss anything along these lines. The _ weight of opinion throughout the province is in favour of the provincial scheme, which the association has now under consideration.

Provincial Centres in Sympathy. " A very cordial response has been received from the provincial centres," continued the Mayor, " and the association is only waiting for replies from certain quarters to make it possible to effect an agreement covering the operations of the entire area of the Auckland military district. It has been laid down quite clearly that the interests of the respective districts are to be in no way affected by the amount of their contributions. District committees will be established with full power to administer to the needs of their own soldiers. It is also provided that each district shall keep in touch with the executive at Auckland and furnish reports from time to time. I hope this unification will ultimately be achieved, and it will then be unnecessary to cut out any portion of the Auckland district to be locally administered."

Labour Day Proceeds lor Fund. Appreciative reference was made by the Mayor to the work now being done by the executive of the Patriotic and War Relief Association. He mentioned that he had had a conference with Mr. George Elliot, chairman of the executive, and representatives of the Labour interests in regard to Labour Day celebrations, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to the Patriotic Fund. " I have agreed to ask the council to allow the Domain to be used for this purpose free of charge," he added, " and in other ways we will assist in connection with the Labour Day celebrations."

PATRIOTIC CAMPAIGN.

OFFERS OF DONATIONS.

With considerable vigour the chairman of the executive of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association, Mr. George Elliot, is pursuing his campaign with the object of augmenting the patriotic funds in aid of the men at the front and their dependants. " Th« idea has got abroad," said Mr. Elliot yesterday, " that Auckland has raised more iribnev for patriotic purposes than have the other provincial centres. I once had that impression myself. Before going South I collected some figures in regard to the Auckland patriotic funds, intending to use them to show what a generous response had been made in -this province to the appeal for money for our soldiers. Then I learned what the Southern cities had done. I did not use the figures. I kept quiet and felt very humble."

There was considerable eviTTencu, Mr. Elliot continued, that the new campaign would have many staunch supporters. He mentioned that one business man, after learning of the patriotic meeting held on j Thursday last in connection -with the " Queen" carnival, had come forward with 1 a remarkably generous offer. "He and his sons," proceeded -the chairman of the executive, " are concerned in a business which is sound and well established, and they offer us for one year the whole of the profits of the business, taking for themselves only the union rate of wages, 'lhey ask us to appoint an auditor to go through their books every three months, and a cheque for the fund will btf forthcoming in accordance with the auditor's indication of the net profits. The offer is for the present an anonymous one. " Another man told me that his wife had attended the patriotic meeting and had been impressed with the need .for doing something more for our returning soldiers. He is not one of the big men of Auckland, but he has already given freely, and he is prepared to send along a cheque for £1000 the moment it is wanted. This man is a Canadian, resident in Auckland, and he expressed a hope that nine others would follow his example, so that an immediate addition of £10,000 would be made to the fund. These are the men who realise what our responsibilities are—and surely it should not be so very difficult to make the others realise the need for giving freely."

SALE OF WORK. SALVATION ARMY EFFORT. A sale of work in aid of the patriotic funds will be conducted by the Salvation Army on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday next, in the Army barracks, Albert Street. Stalls representing each of the allied nations will be presided over by Salvation Army officers and assistants., and an entertainment will be given each evening. The Army's City, Newton, and Onehunga brass and string bands will contribute items. The sale of work will be opened by the Mayoress, Mrs. J. H. Gunson, on Tuesday evening. The various stalls and stall-holders will be as follows: Great Britain, Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. Thompson; Belgium, Mrs. Adjutant Cresswell, Mrs. Captain Vost, and Miss A. Findlay; Russia, Mrs. Staff - Captain Haines; France, Adjutant Gordon; Italy, Mrs. Phipps; Japan, Mrs. Davis and Mr. A. McLanrin; Servia, Mr. J. Charnley-, and New Zealand, Mrs. Jamieson. A stall representing th© combined allies will be held by the Army bandsmen.

CARNIVAL ORGANISATION.

FORMATION OF COMMITTEES.

The Executive Committee entrusted with the organisation of the Patriotic Queen Carnival met yesterday and commenced the work of setting up committees to further the interests of the respective candidates competing for the honour of being "queen" of the carnival. Meetings will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in the carnival rooms at the offices of the New Zealand Mines Trust, Ltd., Shortland Street. It is requested that any persons desirous of assisting any of the committees should send their names in to the executive.