THE CANTEEN FUNDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18022, 22 February 1922, Page 9

THE CANTEEN FUNDS.

SUGGESTION FOR DISPOSAL

RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT. A protracted and at times heated debate regarding the question of utilising the canteen funds for assisting soldiers and their dependants took place at the quarterly meeting of the Dominion executive of the Returned Soldiers' Association on Sunday. Sir Andrew Russell was in the chair. Mr. T. W. McDonald (Otago) moved: (a) That it be a recommendation for the consideration of the Dominion Council thats—(l) The sum of £50,000 from the fund* be allocated forthwith for the purpose of (a) providing employment for unemployed returned soldiers throughout the Dominion, such funds to be expended where possible on reproductive works which will become the property of the returned soldiers; (b) for the purposo of immediate relief in the most necessitous cases of deceased soldiers' widows and dependants. (2) That the not proceeds of the Poppy Day Fund bo added to the |bove-mentioned fund. (3) That endeavours be made to obtain a £ for £ subsidy on the above amounts, and that sucn total fund be apportioned to tho different iR.S.A.'s for the purposes set oat in (1). The basis of the apportionment to be (a) for canteen funds, on the financial membership of each association, respectively, and (b) for Poppy Day funds, according to gross amounts collected in each district respectively. Amendment to Limit Expenditure. Mr. T. Long urged the conference to expend the money on reproductive works, rather than distributing relief in the way of charity doles. Mr. A. Fair (Wellington) said that Mr. McDonald's suggestion comprehended the expenditure of the whole of the capital in two years. Probably, if thus allocated, the canteen fund would take the place of 6ome other fund. He moved an amendment. that the income of tho fund for last year only should be expended on tho relief of unemployment. Mr. D. S. Smith supported the amendment. Tho proposal to expend the capital was a panicky proposal. Mr. W. Leadley (Canterbury) said soldiers would bo unanimous in the opinion that the capital be utilised in relieving unemployment distress. flu suggested making available loans to county councils, to enable them to provido work for returned soldiers. j Mr. J. D. Harper (treasurer) said that, if the executive recommended this scheme, it could not " about face," and suggest. any other proposal. I Mr. N. S. Johnson (Wellington) 6up-' ported this view. He expected that there would be a doluge of proposals before the conference in June.' He moved a further amendment, that the discussion be deferred. In answer to Mr. Leadley, the president said that the interest for one year would be about £7000. A Question ol Tactics. Mr McDonald, in replying, said the discussion was of a red-tape nature, which ! laid down the principle that precedent 1 must be blindly followed. The motion did | not suggest the dissipation of the fund, j The "corpus," or body of the fund, would remain intact, and would still be under I the control of the Cantocns Board. Reproduction, rather than dissipation, was tho basis of the scheme. Speakers had imported into the discussion inferences that were not fairly introduced. He commended the proposal to givo loans to local bodies.

Mr. Fair's amendment was lost on the voices.

Mr, Johnson's amendment, to refer tbe motion to the Dominion Council for consideration, was accepted by Mr. McDonald, who withdrew his motion. The amendment was put as a motion, and carried. There was an animated discussion, during which it was stated that Mr. McDonald had been beaten by questionable tactics. A remit from Canterbury : " That canteen funds should be available to enable returned sold'er farmers to raise mortgages on their properties at 6 peT cent., to help them over the present financial stringency," was accordingly held over.