PATRIOTIC FUND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17242, 19 August 1919, Page 8

PATRIOTIC FUND.

- —— «> , BALANCE HELD AT AVONDALE COTTAGE HOSPITAL ADVOCATED. A public meeting to consider what course to adopt in reference to the balance of the fund raised to provide comforts for local soldiers was held at Avondalo last evening. The chairman of the Avondale Road Board, Mr. R. B. Nesbit, presided over a moderate attendance. The chairman explained that as a result of a carnival held in November, 1917, a not sum of £600 was raised to provide comforts for soldiers from the Avondale district independently of what might be sent by any city or national effort. It had been decided by a public meeting that if, at the expiration of the war, an unexpended balance remained, a meeting of subscribers should be held to decide in what manner such balance should be spent. The Minister for Internal Affairs had vetoed any patriotic funds being used for memorials or soldiers' clubs, and had announced that any unexpended patriotic war funds must be administered by a national war council. Legal advice taken by the local trustees stated that it seemed cfcsar that the Minister had power to annex this particular fund, among others. There was in the Act, however, a clause to the effect that any fund might be used for any other purpose by consent of ithe Minister. The position was discussed at length, all the speakers being averse to the balance' in hand being merged in any national fund, as being contrary to the intention of the public of Avondale when the fund was established. A motion was proposed by Mr. R. Ward that the money in hand be vested in the Avondale Road Board for the purpose of relieving cases of hardship which might arise among returned soldiers in the district. An amendment was moved by Mr. A. J. Morrish, that the Minister be requested to allow the balance of the monev to form the nucleus of a fund to establish a local cottage hospital at which' local soldiers and their dependants could be treated free This was seconded by Mr. W. J. Tait and carried.