THE BRITISH LEGION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20600, 26 June 1930, Page 8

THE BRITISH LEGION.

RESULT OF INVESTIGATION, "NO SERIOUS BLEMISH." POPPY DAY OPERATIONS. «■ ' "The fullest inquiry has failed to find any serious blemish in the British Legion." This is the verdict of the Committee of Investigation into the administration of the Legion which was appointed by Earl Jellicoe, president of the Legion. The committee were:—Viscount Bridgeman, the former First Lord of the Admiralty; Sir Stephen Demetriadi, nominated by the London Chamber of Commerce; and Mr. H. -G. Howitt, representing the Institute ,of Chartered Accountants. In its report the committed says:— "That there have been errors of judgment is inevitable; that shortcomings may » here and there be detected is not more than anyone acquainted with great organisations would anticipate. But regarded as a whole, the history of the Legion constitutes a record of successful achievement and tends to confirm our confidence in this remarkable channel of public sympathy and appreciation." The report recommends suitable approaches for the virtual amalgamation of the United Services Fund and the Legion, and the eventual amalgamation of all societies concerned with the wellbeiqg of ex-service officers and men. Greater Efforts Needed. "Bearing in mind," says the report, "that the Legion is dependent upon the annual receipts from Poppy Day for the bulk of its income, anything that can be done to consolidate the position wlil be advantageous." The committee suggests greater efforts fo provide for ex-service men through an employment bureau. In a Yorkshire experiment a local bureau placed 431 in work in eight months. In the name period only 40 men were found work by the other area offices, excluding the metropolitan area.. The officers' employment bureau should be combined with that of the men, as "there must be many vacancies " which could be filled as appropriately from one category as the other." The report reveals the surprising fact that the gross receipts of Poppy Day are generally less than the face value of the poppies sold. In bad weather a number of poppies are damaged and rendered unfit for sale, but many people pay more than the face value of the poppy. "We think," continues the committee, "that considerable loss might be avoided if the department would bring this matter more forcibly to the notice of the local branches concerned."

Details ol the Sales. The following table gives details of the position:— Poppy Day. Sale Receipts. Sales Face Value*. 1926 .. £329.333 £348.613 1927 .. 405,062 401.777 1928 .. 461,143 468.941 • 1929 .. 401,129 -"484.900 With regard to the 1929 figures, it is stated that further receipts, especially, from overseas, will tend to diminish the discrepancy. ' Of the officials of the Legion, only one man, the appeals secretaiy, is in receipt of £2OOO a year. It is suggested that in addition to "raising funds between the annual Poppy Day collections the services of this officer should bp used for propaganda."