WAR RELIEF FUNDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20595, 20 June 1930, Page 12

WAR RELIEF FUNDS.

LARGE AMOUNT SPENT.

FIFTEEN YEARS' ACTIVITY.

AID FOR DISABLED MEN.

MANY APPLICANTS LAST YEAR.

After being in existence for 15 years tho Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association still finds its resources fully taxed to assist financially tho largo number of men suffering physically and economically as a result of their service during tho Great War. Accounts presented at tho annual mooting yesterday showed that £512,700 ~has been spent in this way since funds for war relief purposes were first raised by tho public, and that £101,873, the of which is invested, still remains to tho association's credit.

' Tho past year opened with a credit balance of £121,699, according to tho annual report, while interest on investments amounting to £6419, donations amounting to £Bl and £9OO received from tho National War Funds Council for the relief of unemployed soldiers, brought tho total to £129,099. The disbursements totalled £27,225, including £15,000, which was transferred to the Veterans' Homo account, £6644 which was spent by the Auckland Claims Board, £758 by the provincial branches, £659 by the Permanently Disabled Soldiers' Board, £4BB on relief of distress in Auckland, £903 on relief of unemployed soldiers and £228 on making up a deficit in tho accounts of the Veterans' Homo. Tho balance in hand was £101,873, of which £101,807 was at tho credit of tho Provincial Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund and £67 to tho credit of the Unemployment Fund. Assistance for Unemployed.

Dealing with the work of the Claims Board, the report stated:—"lt is with regret that your executive has to again report that tho economic conditions prevailing havo made it very difficult, if not impossiblo, for many returned men, especially disabled men, to secure employment Cases of men suffering from recurring war disability have been fairly numerous during the year. Many applications for assistance were received from men who had never previously applied, but who claimed they were suffering from the after effects of wur service. The Claims Board ca'refuUy and sympathetically consider each application for assistance, and where, in its opinion, the applicant is suffering from war disability, appropriate assistance is rendered." A sub-committee was still attending to the requirements of the 6oldier patients in the Auckland Hospital, the T.B. shelters and the Evelyn Firth Home, Parnell. Tho association's liability was defined by an agreement of some years' standing with tho joint committeo of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John, which prevented overlapping. The association was providing newspapers, books, magazines, games, gramophone records, wireless, billiards, and cano for basket-making. There were at present 18 men in tho Evelyn Firth Homo and 16 men in tho T.B. shelters. Distress Fund Exhausted.

In moving tho adoption of tho report and accounts, the vice-chairman, Mr. V. J. Larner, who presided in the absence of Sir James Gunson, said the previous year's expenditure was £20,349, the increase of £7OOO this year bein£ accounted for partly by the transfer of £15,000 to tho Veterans' Home. Tho fund for relief of distress in Auckland was now exhausted.

The contributions to all funds since tlio association was formed totalled £614,500, said Mr. Larner. During the year the Claims Board disbursed £6644, spread over 3832 applicants. This was a decrease of £1706 compared with the previous year and there were 2726 fewer applicants. Tho falling off was due in tlio main to the fact that. tho fund for relief of distress in tho city was exhausted, and it was therefore impossiblo to assist fit men who had previously received assistance from that fund.

"There is, I believe, an impression abroad that wo can givo no assistance to an unfit man unless ho has a war pension," said Mr. Larner. "This impression is entirely erroneous. Any unfit soldier applying to us who can show reasonable grounds for thinking his disability is due to war service is at once sent by us to our medical adviser for examination and report. If tlio report shows there aro grounds for connecting his disability with the war, wo at once assist him and continue to do so. until his caso is disposed of. "If his case is turned down by tho Pensions Board, lie still has tho •Appeal Board to turn 10. This latter board is most sympathetic, and if any man's appeal is dismissed there is little or no doubt that he has no reasonable grounds for urging that his desability is due to the war, and he discontinues to have any claim on our sick and wounded fund." Homes lor Disabled Men. A total of 537 permanently disabled men had been assisted by the association to tho extent "of £104,424, or an average of £2OO a mnu. It was regrettable that efforts in endeavouring to settle men on farms and in businesses, such as bee-farming, poultry raising, horticulture, fishing, basket making, and many other callings, had not 'given tho results anticipated. The main and outstanding success* had been in helping men to procure homes for themselves and their families. "We have now been associated together during 15 years of strenuous work," Mr. Larner continued. "The past shows much accomplished. There still remains much to bo done. I feel sure I jim voicing tho thought of everyone here when 1 say that, having put our hand to tho plough, wo will not turn back, but carry in our endeavour to help tlioso for whom the fund was raised." Mr. C. Rhodes seconded the motion and tho report was adopted. Soven members of the executive, Lady Cunson and Messrs. V. J. Larner, N. Alfred Nathan, E. F. Andrews, E. Phelan, C. Rhodes and A. J. Entrican, wcro re-elected.

Congratulations wore extended to Sir A. S. Bankarti honorary treasurer, on receiving a knighthood.