THE PATRIOTIC FUND BALANCE SHEET.
TO THE EDITOR
Sp,—lt was with mingled feelings that I road the- balance sheet of the Otago and Southland contingent fund, that was- headed I'Otago's Patriotism," in the Times of Ufch inst. • '.
In the first place, there is a surplus of 1.-61556 15s 4d, and a meeting is called for July 24- to decide what is to be done with the surplus. May I ask if country committees have been consulted, or ,was all the-money subscribed by Dunedin? As it is a meeting of subscribers that is called, to be held in the Town Hall, Dunedin, we are led to suppose it is Dunedin that did'it all. If the money is not needed for which it was collected—viz., horses and men —I would suggest that it bs expended in buying- rifles and ammunition to arm the people with, since evidently the Government have no intention of doing so. Some of the country people would also like to know what was received for the £655 4s 6d demonstration expenses, and also souvenirs, £256 16s 2d. What wore the souvenirs, and who received them?- And was there any return for above expenses? For the last itevn at least 10 good horses could have been sent to the front; and yet we are told that is what is needed most iv the Transvaal—more horses. Why .was not the mon^y expended in what the people of Otago (not only Dunedin) subscribed it for?. And if men were not required, why not have sent horses?
The latter paragraphs of the report state that over £16,000 was raised for the patriotic fund, and also £6000 for the Indian famine fund. I venture to say.that if the balance sheet had come out sooner (as it should have done), then the Indian famine fund -would have been more than doubled. Otago people are patriotic, and give freely, but they want to know how the money is expended. If they givo 10s, for instance, they want the Hindoos to get-10s worth; The Dunedin business men could bave subscribed tbe amount of the contingent fund themselves, ancl then have been richly repaid by the harvest they have reaped of late.:—l am, etc., - ,
Country SrascnißEßi
Tapanui, July 23,
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 11793, 24 July 1900, Page 6
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372THE PATRIOTIC FUND BALANCE SHEET. Otago Daily Times, Issue 11793, 24 July 1900, Page 6
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