A SOCIETY'S FUNDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19383, 19 July 1926, Page 6

A SOCIETY'S FUNDS.

Sir, —As is a common experience in many similar societies, the 500 odd members of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children and for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are usually too apathetic to attend the annual meeting. The members of a newly formed body calling itself the Animal Welfare League took advantage of that apathy and just before the annual meeting last month paid five shillings each for 30 new subscribers, thereby securing 30 new voters. With these they packed the meeting and passed a resolution that it was desirable the two branches of the society should be separated. So far, so good. But a question then arose as to how should some moneys, which during the past 40 years had been donated or be queathed to the society to form a capital fund, be divided ? Considering the rela tive importance of the two branches, one would imagine there would be no discussion and that the new league would be satisfied with a " bless you my child " from the society which so long had satisfactorily attended to the matter, and would proceed to perform its new functions leaving all the money given for the women and children to ba used in their behalf. But a proposal for division of the fund is to be placed before a special meeting of the society this evening. I learn that several more members of the league have—again at the last moment—paid their subscription fee and hope that the 45 now eligible to vote will ensure the passing of a motion to hand .over half the funds to the league. I appeal to the old members of the society to roll up at St. Paul's Schoolroom to-night and thwart this pillage of its funds. Our Lord stated "It is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs." J Brook.