ASSISTING SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16310, 17 August 1916, Page 8

ASSISTING SOLDIERS.

NO MONEY ON MORTGAGE.

ASSOCIATION'S POLICY-

A statement of the position of the Auckland Patriotic and War Relief Association respecting the advancing of money on mortgage to returned soldiers has been formulated in a letter" to be forwarded to the 19 branches of the association. This action has arisen from the receipt of a letter from the Te Kuiti branch, strongly supporting an application from a deserving soldier in its district. The Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gtinson, at the meeting of the executive of the association yesterday, reading a draft of the letter to be sent to branches, stated that the. committee regretted that it was unable to advise any departure from the policy laid down by the treasurers and approved by the association, viz., that the investments of the association's fund should be confined to local bodies' and Government securities. The Auckland Claims Board had dealt with over 500 returned men, and with the number dealt with by the branches the total of men and dependants in receipt of assistance would be upwards of j j 1000. That number would be largely in- I creased. The association was consistently let ding monetary assistance to returned men, and dependants of those killed, was supplementing what in some cases were inadequate State pensions, but it could not. lend on mortgage. The fund was not intended to be looked upon as a reward for. or means of recognition of, noble services. It was a fund to relieve want, and prevent a condition of need which, otherwise, would exist among many men and dependants a a result of services rendered to the country. The Auckland Claims Board had refused quite 20 similarly deserving applications as the one from Te Kuiti. It had also declined a large number of indifferent ones. For every sound application, if they were entertained, there would be a dozen of an j indifferent character. The cost of valuations and the work which would be involved would also be considerable. The answer to the Te Kuiti request, however, was that the Government should assist such a case in connection with acquiring and developing suitable sections. The I association understood that machinery j was provided, and at the disposal of the Crown Land Commissioner in Auckland. I The interests of the majority of men and ' dependants for a period of years would : bo best served by following strictly what I had been decided on as a sound policy. [ The letter was approved.