ASSISTING SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16697, 15 November 1917, Page 4

ASSISTING SOLDIERS.

WORK OF CLAIMS BOARD. OPERATIONS FOR MONTH. A report regarding the operations of the Claims Board of the Auckland Patriotic Association daring the last month was presented to the executive of the latter body yesterday. One hundred and four soldiers had appeared before the board, and the chairman, Mr. V. J. Lamer, had personally seen a number of other applicants, principally mothers or widows of soldiers. At the other meetings of the board during the month, 214 communications from soldiers and dependants of soldiers had been received, principally asking for votes to be renewed or revised. There had been few instances in which the board had been unable to render assistance^ *■ The value of the patriotic fund, as administered in Auckland, was becoming more and more apparent to the board and more appreciated both by the returned soldiers* and dependants. The increased scale of assistance, recently adopted^' had proved fully warranted. The reciprocal arrangements with other societies were working well, but the principle of the domicile in deterj mining the liability of tie various patriotic societies was one which was still considered faulty, involving, as it did, innumer- , able transfers and repayments. Under the system, however, Auckland men applying to other societies -were subject to no delay in receiving assistance, and, similarly, Southern men were looked after in Auckland. The report stated, that representations had been made to the Defence authorities in Wellington regarding the occasional undue delay in remitting soldiers' pay. This had in the past necessitated the board assisting some soldiers. The board re- : corded its appreciation of the valu- ; able services rendered by Sister j Esther, Sister Hannah qnd other • honorary helpers. Many cases were rei ferred to these patriotic workers, and the I information received enabled the board to > afford assistance in a manner which would otherwise be impossible. The total cash paid by way of assistance during the month was £1555 4s lid, which,, averaced for a year, represented £18,420. This ram ! did not include the operations of the 22 branches of the association. The report was approved.