WAR RELIEF

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12074, 27 February 1925, Page 4

WAR RELIEF

WELLINGTON ASSOCIATION BUSINESS AT NINTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. MANY CLAIMS CONSIDERED. At the ninth annual general meeting of tile executive committee and life members of the "War Relief Association of •Wellington: there were present: Messrs R. A. Wright, M.P. (in the chair), C. M. Luke, D. McLaren, C. W. .Tones, A. Macintosh, G. Mitchell, H. H. Seaton, li, O- H. Tripp, Clement Watson, A. Yeiteh, and F. J. Kelly. APPLICATIONS INCREASING. In moving the adoption of the report and halunce-slieet the chairman of the executive committee (Mr L. 0. H. Tripp; said that itw ould be seen from the report that the number of applications they were receiving on behalf of overseas soldiers and their dependents had increased. During the last year they received 3C3 applications. They anticipated a still further increase in such applications, as each veav more overseas soldiers and their dependents came to Now Zealand. Ho had been trying to get some estimate of the number of oversens soldiers and their dependents in Now Zealand to-day, but it was impossible to arrive at any accurate figures. Between 19-1 and 1924 the Overseas Settlement Committee sent out 5335 soldiers, and accompanying the coldiers were 3253 women, 4081 children, or a total of 12.668 soldiers and their dependents. Tlie New Zealand Government during this period had also been bringing out soldiers and their dependents under the nomination system. He had not been able to obtain any figures to show the exact number sent out. From experience it appears that about one-half of. the applicants had come to New Zealand having been sent out by the Overseas Settlement Committee, bqM the other half had com ft;, to New Zealand under the nominated system, eo that it would not ..be far out if he stated that there are probably ir New Zealand to-day 20,009 men, women and children representing tho overseas, soldiers and their dependents. He found that there were in New Zealand 1800 overseas soldiers from the United Kingdom and theii dependents receiving war' pensions; the aggregate amount paid through the Pensions Department hero on behalf of the Imperial Government ■"'as «£lOt ,858, the average pension being «£56. In addition there were in New Zealand 553 ex-Australian soldiers, the annual value of their pensions being .£24,618, and the average pension JUI; that was 2355 overseas soldiers and their dependents receiving pensions, the total of their pensions amounting to .£126.476 and the average pension ,£53 15s. During the last threw years he found that the average number of overseas soldiers; inm.atea of the. Cashmere Sanatorium has been 94 per annum, and the average of overseas soldiers admitted to the Hanmer Springs Hospital has been 20. VALUABLE SERVICER

Mr Tripp paid a tribute to the good work done by the different committees and the great services of their honorary medical adviser. They would, he said, realise the value of their work by the fact that although it was nearly seven years since the Armistice, the, applications committee met every day, ana the finance and executive committees at regular intervals, and had dealt •with 26,105 applications. He was proutl of the fact that, at this distance of time from the Armistice, there war# still so many men. and women ivbc, were unselfishly giving up their timft to assist returned men. He admittei > that at times the committee got weary and felt they had done their share, but when they saw those who hadf Buffered so much during the war facing their disabilities so pluckily, they, felt that they must go on with the work. Mr Wright considered the’report and balance-sheet reflected the greatest credit on the executive end staff. He congratulated them on determining not to refuse applications from anyone because they had no legal claims. He knew that some of the best men were in that category because they Had promptly taken tlieir discharge without waiting Tor developments of their war injuries or effects. Mr Seaton Said that he had had occasion to criticise cost of administration, but after a trip abroad and an inspection of balance-sheets of similar organisations he had come to the conclusion that there was everything ! to say in favour of the work done here. He therefore had much pleasure in congratulating them all for the existing state of affairs.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Mr C. M Luke moved the re-election o' the retiring members of committee, Messrs L. O. H. Tripp, D. McLaren, C. Watson, A. Macintosh, and G. Shirtcliffe, and eulogised the great work the; had accomplished. The motion was seconded by Mr G. Mitchell and carried. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. OFFICE-BEARERS ELECTED. At a subsequent meeting of the committee the following were elected; Chairman, Mr L. O. H. Tripp; vicechairman, Mr C. M. Luke; finance committee, Messrs L. O. H. Tripp (chairman), A Macintosh (vice-chairman). A. Yeiteh, G RJiirtcliifc, C. M. Luke, G. Mitchell, C. Watson; application committee, Messrs Tripp (chairman), S. Kirkealdie, C. M. Luke (vice-chairman), A. Macintosh, D. McLaren, G. Mitchell, A. Veiteh; emergency committee, Messrs Tripp (chairman), C. M. Luke (vice-chairman), G. Mitchell, D. McLaren and A. Macintosh.

MEETING OF LOCAL COUJKCtL LOANS GRANTED. A meeting-of-the executive, council o! the War Relief Association was held Yesterday, the chairman (Mr L. V. 11. Tripp) presiding.’ The other members present were Messrs C- M. Luke, Clement Watson, G. Mitchell. Alex. Macintosh; and A. Veitcli. The report of the Applications and Emergency Committee showed that since the previous meeting of the council 174 leases has been tinder action, oi wh’ch 29 were now claim*, and 115 old and I*l3 cases, embodying. LS3 applications ’had been disposed of by the committee. During the same period the’ number of persons calling at the office was 2*26, of whom 146 applied tor diieut’ and 89 for indirect assistance. The report was adopted. The finance committee reported that since the previous meeting it had dealt with 8 applications for monetary assLtanc© by way of loans- Of those 3 were old cases and 5 were new applications. The former were reconsidered in respect of revision of the original conditions of repayments. The amount involved was .£525: and the unpaid balances totalled .£263 5s 2d, subdivided as follow: —Domestic, <£2s < balance .£25); agriculture.!, ct-500 (balance £2os .'•> Cdb The five new applications totalled .£<' ’0 in value. On© of them was approved, and the remainder, disclosing *no evidence of or attribmtahiliito war d >- ability. were declined. The former \w»> nn appro\ed advance to a soldier settlor; and ih© latter were applications for ’onus for the following puipo:-o? Furchnsr of Vrisidontjal property, <£30,1; domestic* £190; commercial. JJIOO. Tho agangat* value of the eight earCs dealt with thutf Amounted to .£1125. The report was adopted. The statement of accounts showed the expenditure for the month tot; lied .-£•(54 18s 9d, and the increase .£2l f 9a tOd; or an excess of ’expenditure over income (charged io capital account) of <£237 8s lid. As at January 3M. tr© total available funds of the association w C ro -232,653 I9s 6d.