WAR RELIEF WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19125, 17 September 1925, Page 11

WAR RELIEF WORK.

THE AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION. TEN YEARS' ACTIVITIES. GREAT RECORD OF SERVICE. LARGE FUNDS ADMINISTERED. Much has been done in Auckland to assist sick and disabled soldiers and their dependants, and the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association stands out with a record of valuable achievement. The end of this month will mark the completion of ten years' activities, and it is appropriate at this juncture to recall the establishment, development and growth of the association. Following the outbreak of war a Citizens' League was formed to deal with cases arising out of war service. The organisation raised a substantial fund, which, among other things, was used in assisting the dependents of those who had voluntarily enlisted. Almost immediately following this, another fund, known as the Hospital Ship Fund, was established. When the present Patriotic Association was founded the balances of these two funds, totalling respectively £46,000 and £49,000, were taken over by it. The citizens were called together for the purpose of launching a widespread campaign for funds, and it will be recalled with what success the appeal was made, 'not only in the city, but also throughout the entire province. The result was that the fund reached £374,000. Widespread Organisation. The collection of this great sum was completed'by October, 1915-, and has represented the principal fund by which the work of the association during the succeeding ten years has been made possible. The provincial organisation represented 22 branches, "extending from Hokianga in the North to Taumarunui in the South, including the Ohura district, in the Wellington territory, and 17 of the branches are in active operation to-day. With such widespread operations it would be reasonable to expect that differences might arise, hut throughout the decade of the association's existence tho utmost cordiality and unanimity has ruled throughout, and never at any time has there arisen a question that created any division. This must constitute a record in friendly relations, and only goes to show the whole-hearted manner in which those working in the interests of the soldiers applied themselves to the task. While it is ten years since' the association was founded, it is likewise almost ten years since the first draft of sick and wounded soldiers from Gallipoli and Egypt landed in Auckland. These two incidents—the establishment of the association and the return of the first men—occurring almost simultaneously, saw the commencement of a work that has since been carried on consistently, and is splendidly maintained to-day throughout the province. Steady Calls on Fund. For three years during the war and for the seven years of the post-war period that have passed the committees of the association have met regularly. During the war period there were daily sittings, and many thousands of cases of returned soldiers and their dependents were personally dealt with. During the postwar period the committees have sat twice weekly without interruption, and on the average no fewer than 30 cases have been attended to at each sitting. „ The result has been that in the A, or sick and wounded fund, the large capital sum of £374,000 has been reduced by grants and other forms of assistance rendered to those eligible for relief to £147,594, and that after the annual interest earned by the fund, varying from £7OOO to £12,000 a year, has been absorbed. Last year from the fund the sum of £10,413 was paid away to soldiers or their dependants, while the interest earned was £7305. It will thus be seen that the fund is being depleted at the rate of from £3OOO to £4OOO a year, subject of course to any special votes that 1 may bo authorised by the executive. While the Auckland fund stands at the figure named; the cash balances held in the cities and other large centres of the Dominion outside the Auckland Province, not including the many subsidiary funds held in the smaller centres, total well over three-quarters of a million pounds. A complete list of these funds is not available at the moment but the following figures indicate the amounts held in the centres named at certain dates. Balances at March 31, 1925:—National War Fund, £113,065; Auckland, £158,972; Hawke's Bay, £105,000; Otago, £47,456; South, land, £47,022; Canterbury, £44,000; Wairarapa, £41,639; Taranaki, £6400. The Wellington fund at December 31 last stood at £43,000 and the latest figures available for Gisborne show the total at £23,594 on December 31, 1923. To these figures must be added the Sheepowners' Fund, which at June 30 last stood at £164.454, but this includes £86,000 invested in the Flock House station. The funds mentioned give an aggregate of £794,602. . Seventh of Funds Remain. If all the subsidiary funds and the reserves and assets coming under the heading of patriotic and war relief work were gathered into one fund they would substantially exceed one miJiion pounds, The total amount of the patriotic funds of the Dominion at the -beginning of the movement was £7,385,000, so it will be seen

the money available for this class 'of work has been depleted to about one-seventu of the original sum In considering the work of the various patriotic bodies throughout the Dominion the question may rightly be asked whether the funds have been used and the balances are being administereß to-day for the purposes. for which they were subscribed, which generally may be said to be for the relief or assistance of the sick or wounded or incapacitated by war, tbeir dependants or the depfyidants of those who gave their lives. The question was recently asked of a gentleman who has for years been closely associated with the administration of patriotic funds throughout the Dominion and his reply was that it could justifiably be answered by an emphatic " yes." The personnel of the respective administrations has been and is of a very high order, being drawn from the leading citizens in all groups and without exceptions these administrations have enjoyed the unbroken confidence .of the public. Strict Adherence to Trust. In Auckland there has been no other grounds for eligibility for assistance from . the fund than those defined above. Experience is proving that many men, owing to civil disability and hardship, look for and expect assistance from the funds on the ground that they are ex-soldiers and rendered service to their country. However much such cases may appeal to the committee considering the appeal, they afford no ground for assistance and this has led to misunderstanding in some quarters. One of the chief features of the work of the Patriotic Associations has been their strict adherence to the terms of the trust and it is as well to make it quite clear that no one can obtain assistance from the Auckland fund unless eligible under the terms governing it. When the Auckland Association was formed it was laid down throughout the Province that the administration was likely to be for 21 years, and there is now every evidence that the activities will easily run that course. The need of many men arising from recurring war disabilities is greater to-day than was the case upon their return to the Dominion, and cases of that kind are particularly fortunate in having the Patriotic Funds to draw upon, because in so many instances they find it exceedingly difficult to obtain a Government pension at this stage, notwithstanding the fact that they are obviously war sufferers. The value of the greater elasticity and freedom of administration in connection with the publicly subscribed funds is thus apparent. Houses and Veterans' Home. There are two other features of the work of the Auckland Patriotic Association which may be said to l-e of outstanding value. The first of these relates to the establishment in 1919 of the scheme for assisting permanently disabled soldiers. Under this system grants in approved forms, but chiefly for houses, are made varying from £IOO to £SOO. After a period of from five to ten years, during which the amount is secured by a second mortgage, the grant, provided the soldier has made good, is written off and becomes a free grant. A very large number of men have buea assisted in this way. The second scheme was the taking over by the association of the Veterans' Home at Mount Roskill. This is a Dominion institution and its value is being recognised throughout New Zealand, as is evidenced by the wide nature of the bequests being received. Among these was the Herries bequest of £IOOO and the most recent, the Craig bequest from Gisborne, of £3OOO. These contributions go to the capital fund of the home, which now houses the veterans of earlier wars, but in the years to come will be available for the veterans of the great war who, owing to hardship and disability arising from war service, may need such accommodation. It is toward this great objective, with the obligations of the future in relation to the men who served in the great war, that the executive of the Auckland Patriotic Association is directing its attention. From the earliest years of its existence the association has had to withstand ihe demands and advice to be more liberal with the money at its command, but it has wisely husbanded its resources while meeting the needs of the present. It is now quite clear that the i policy adopted was far-seeing, but it is only in keeping with the capable administration that has marked the conduct of the affairs of the Auckland Patriotic Association since its inception.