PATRIOTIC FUNDS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10292, 29 May 1919, Page 6

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

INTENTION TO COLLAR THEM. DENIED BY MENtbrim. The Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. G. W. Russell, informed a “Times” reporter yesterday that his attention had been drawn to a report of the. Returned Soldiers’ Association Conference;.at Christchurch, in which it was stated that the chairman said: ‘‘There was no question that the Government, or, rather, the Minister for Internal Affairs, would attempt to collar the patriotic funds for Ins own pet schemes. For instance, it was suggested that they might be used for sanatoria for consumptive soldiers. That idea was preposterous.” Mr Russell '■■said Tie had, therefore, telegraphed "to""the president of the conference as' * follows :— “(1) I emphatically deny that the Government has any desire to collar or otherwise interfere with patriotic funds. Its only responsibility is ; see that they are expanded under u,o v/ar Funds Act for the purposes tor which they were raised. No suggestion has been mauo by me that pair-otic funds might be used for-saaai .Jr lor consumptive soldiers.' I shui .ore, feel obliged if you will in.. of your auihority.for the alio*- ..ueut, or, in the’ alternative, withura.v it.” LEGAL POSITION EXPLAINED TO CON F E-uEIN CE. iTess Aaoucmtiou. - -- CHRISTCHURCH, May 28. Tho following telegram from the Hori. G. W; Russell was read to-day by Mr Elliott, one of the Auckland delegates to the Returned Soldiers’ Conference :—“I have given very careful consideratibh -to the question of the transfer -of moneys from the Women’s Patriotic League to tho Returned Soldiers’ Club Fund, but the legal difficulties in the way are insurna i table. The sole objects of the Women’s Patriotic League when established were to provide comforts for the soldiers, hospital supplies, and the care ot soldiers’ dependents (clothing, etc.). On September 18th, 1916, the fund was approved under the War Funds Act, and in May, 1913, the title was altered to the Auckland W.P.P. League, but At no time have the approved objects of the league been extended. The special. appeal made in 1918 for funds was not accompanied by a request for the widening of the object ot the league, the text of such appeal being to provide for our soldier lads in camp or transport at the front, or in hospital, and for giving assistance to thoir dependents- The opinion of Sir John Salmond on the Christchurch' Lady Liverpool application placed it beyond doubt that the money now in hand cannot legally be diverted to the erection of soldiers’ clubs, as being outside and beyond the object for which the moneys were raised. The position is that there is a sum of approximately •£400,000 held by othei societies m New Zealand in the same category as tho ' money held by the Auckland Women’s Patriotic League, and ah ready applications have been received for a diversion of a portion of this to objects other than that for which the money was raised, and which I have had to decline, so that, even if the legal difficulties in tho way of meeting your request could have been overcome, the responsibility is such that I could not agree to these funds being diverted without the approval of Parliament. • Therefore, while I am personally ' desirous of assisting returned soldiers in the laudable object of providing hostel accommodation, I am unable (acting on the advice of tho Soli-citor-General, whom I have seen again this morning) to legally assist them.”