THE PREMIER'S EXPLANATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11793, 24 July 1900, Page 3

THE PREMIER'S EXPLANATION.

PROVINCIALISM AND 'PAROCHIAL

ISM.

(Pee United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 23,

The following correspondence passed today between Mr Mills, bf the Dunedin Patriotic Fund Committee, and the Premier: -»-

Right Hon. Mr Seddon, Wellington.—l have to thank you' and Mr AVard for your telegrams re proposed legislation in .refor-mce to patriotic funds. The matter is to be considered at a public meeting of subscribers to-morrow evening, called to consider this matter, and also to deal with the report and accounts of the committee which has charge of the raising and despatch of the Ota.go.and Southland section of the fourth contingent. Shall be glad if you can, previous to the. meeting, give me an indicutionof the shape the proposed bill will take, as a lively interest isbeing taken'in the matter by subscribers, and there will be great disappointment if our fund is not set apart for our own district, and is removed from the custody of the present committee, of which the mayor is chairman.—(signed) James Mills.

The Mayor of Auckland also telegraphed

The Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, Wellington.— At a committee meeting of the South Africa patriotic fund, held this afternoon, the following resolution was unanimously carried: —

"That, with reference to lhe-Premier's telegram of the 17th inst., suggesting that all the patriotic funds be vested in the Public Trustee, this committee desires to place on record its strong dissent to any such rroposal. That, in view of tho fact that the Auckland patriotic fund is^in effect, held in trust oa behalf of the Lord Mayor of London, this committee must protest against any diversion of the trust without the consent o[ the Lord Mayor of London and subscribers to the fund being first obtained. That this committee has taken care that no case of distress in the Auckland provincial district deserving help ha 3 been left uncared for."—D. Goldie.

The Premier has replied to both telegrams as follows: —

It is the desire of the Government to work with, and not in opposition to, the wishes of those who have been chiefly instrumental in raising the moneys for a truly patriotic purpose, and who are best entitled to decide as to its distribution. There is at piesent no defined trust established, and what we proposed to do was to legislate in that direction, and that there were to be local trustees who should invest and distribute the money under conditions in line with those laid down when the moneys wero subscribed. It was suggested tbat the mayors of the four large centres should be ex officio members of the trust, and the other trustees were to be elected by the subscribers. It is unnecessary for me to point out to you as a business man the desirability of removing the present uncertain condition of affairs. There are subscribers who say tliat the moneys v/ere all to go to the Mansion House fund. Others say the moneys were otherwise to be applied. Under these circumstances, it is unnecessary for me to point out that fit the presont time thoso holding these moneys and the committees are responsible to individual subscribers, and that the moneys have been contributed by subscribers under different conditions.. It is my intention to get a bill, drafted, send it on to each of the committees, and then to have a conference of various delegates elected by the committees, and finally decide upon the matter. It is also necessary for me to remind you of what occurred ih respect to the Kaitangata subscriptions, and that ultimately the Legislature had to step in and save tho residue. I express no opinion on tho fact that over twenty thousand pounds has loft this colony, and been, sent to tho Mansion House fund, nnd you have not had twenty pence returned; and, in my opinion, never will. It has been brought undo;- my notice that some of cur contingents invalided" home have left Cape Colony penniless and ill-clad, whilst there arc agents'-who were seeing to tlie Imperial soldiers, and were mooting their requirement!! out of what is known "as the " Tommy, Atkins fund." I only point this out to show that whilst your committee is very keen now to keep the control and distribution of the residue of the money subscribed, you have sent away a large amount

of the inonoey, handed it ovoer to the Mayor of London, and that you have no control whatever. In fact, after going carefully into the matter, I have never seen a letter sent to any committee from the controller of the Mansion House fund as to what they would do with the money, or as. to how it stood at the present moment; and, if not out cf place. I would advise your committee to know what they intend to do with it, and whether or not- those who subscribed it wore to be consulted as to its distribution. It appears to me now as if yoa did not seem inclined to trust the people of this colony, and whatever you may do, I assert that our sons fighting in the Cape are fighting to uphold the constitution nnd the grand old flag, and are not fighting for provincial districts, but for the colony and the Empire; and to say that because a soldier came from an outlying district that, practically, to-morrow may have no funds, that those dependent upon him should want, whilst in other districts funds are available, is a provincialism and a parochialism which does not commend itself to my judgment. It is my desiro to work with yon and have "the wholo thing placed on a satisfactory footing. Thore is no established trust at the present time.—R. J. Seddon.