PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16666, 11 April 1916, Page 2

PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION

MEE7TTNG OF EXECUTIVE.

Tile regular meeting of tho executive of the Otago Patriotic) and General Welfare Association was hold yesterday morning, tho Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark) presiding. Tho Mayor of Aucldund wrote asking that joint representations be made to the Government for a £ for £ subsidy on con- | tibutions to tho Serbian Relief Fund.—The Town Clerk (Mr Lewin) mentioned that, so far, £4300 had been received towards the fund.—Mr Mitchell suggested that tho subsidy asked for bo on tho amounts sont forward.—lt was decided to refer the matter to tho Advisory Board, with, a -view to talcing action. Tho Invalid Soldiers' Benefit Association wrote requesting assistance in providing a recreation room at the Rotorua Sanatorium for the use of invalid soldiers.—The Hon. J. T. Paul stated that the Advisory Board had recommended that the northern associations bo- written to as to contributing towards such, a movement. —Advisory Board's action approved. Bishop Nc-vill wrote forwarding his resignation as a member of the exeoutive. — The resignation was accepted with rogret; the secretary to write to Bishop Ncvill expressing appreciation of hia past services. The following in the principal portion of tho treasurer's statement, and shows the position of the respective funds:—

Fnnd. Beoeipts. Expenditure. Balance. £63,776 3 11 £60,060 17 11 £3,725 ' 6 0 r Local *) l Belief 8,222 10 0 [ 10,349 14 8 71 14 0 c Funds 2J98 18 0J Grent Bri- ■, tain aud ' „ Ireland 8,202 M 9 5,553 9 0 049 7 0 s •Serbian 4,369 Iβ 9 2,302 8 0 2,057 8 6 s Poles Blo— 5 1 0 t Soldiers and ... ~) I Depend- ; cabs' 1,426 3 2V 100,388 11 9 22.2C0 1G 7 g Qneen ' I Caimival 104,223 5 V A Ambulanoe 328 3 6 275 8 0 62 15 6 £ Bxpedi- . ' > Monary t Force 4,058 14 G 3,426 7 9 632 6 9 j Interest, "■*'.. deposits 1,356 16 1 — 1,356 16 1 •, TJneondi- ' tional 1,644 14 2 1,610 0 3 34 13 11 s Leather " J Waist- I coats' 373 2 4 36fi 8 10 6 13 fi < Totals £215,176 6 9 £184,323 6 2 £30,852 19 7 1 The statement was approved, and it was \ decided to forward £1000 for tho relief of . tho Belgians and £2000 for the relief of tho Serbians ■ -■ ■ '■ ■ i The Finance Committee's report, which < was fonjial. was adopted. ] The Employment and Relief Committee's : report stated, inter alia, that three cases i were now being inquired into, involving approximately £20, and, if it was decided that the committee was to deal with them, it was necessary, for a further grant of £25 or £50,' and application for it was therefore made." A ruling was desired ,as to dealing with the question of liquidating the liabilities of men who enlisted and were aooepted.—Mr J. Loudon, in moving the adoption of the report, explained that in some oases men accepted went into Hospial, and had small debts owing, and they lad asked that those might be "liquidated. The committee had hesitated to deal with pases where it thought there was another committee to deal with them.—Tho Mayor said that £200 had been set aside for assisting such cases, and the Soldiers' Welfare Committee had undertaken to investigate cases.—Mr F. G. Gumming stated that, in investigating cases, one was mot with the fact that definite promises had already been made by ladies and gentleman who had no funds at' their' disposal. His hands had been considerably tied by promises beingmade which had no right to be made until after investigation by the Soldiers' Committee. He suggested that the, principle was wrong.—The report was adopted. Tho following were the principal clauses in the Recruiting Committee's report:—Recruiting has vastly improved during tho past three weeks, and on Thursday last wo were able to send our quota away four over its strength, but the shortage for the whole district was between 50 and 60, tho smallest number this time, in any of the four military districts. The renewed interest in recruiting has been largely due to the launchins of the Government recruiting scheme, and the manner in which the work is being carried out. ' In- the Dunedin" area the work is being done by a joint body formed from the City Council and your .Recruit* ing , -Committee; they in turn being splendidly assisted by a large 'number of citizens who have undertaken the work attached to the 19 blocks being worfeed. Large numbers enlisted are rejected as medically unfit. This is to be expected under this schome, as men rejected before October, when tho standard was lowered, are required to be re-oxamined if they desire a badge'of exemption,. Many also; enlist who are practically sure, of being rejected. This also is .inevitable under tho schemn, as with a thorough canvassing of the district, men are now realising that they owe a duty to the Empire, and those not carrying it out as far as they can, even if they aro medically rejected, are being morally compelled to face the consequences. Our rejections, alongside of those of tho North Island; . distriptS, soem to bo large, but-those districts are not yet working the Government scheme. When they do, the same abnormal number of rejections are almost sure to be repeated. However, though a very serious shortage exists for thr Fifteenth Keinforcements throughout N<*w Zealand, a great improvement has already occnn-pcl here and will be even more pronounced as ■ time, goes on, for some months in any case As a. matter of fact, where tho Go-, vernment scheme is carried out tho next few lots of reinforcement? should be easier to get than -were tho Fifteenth In our own case wo can see the Sixteenth almost in sight. One thing absolutely necessary for tho thorough success of the scheme is assistance, in the canvassing work from our citizens who are ineligible to go front; Unfortunately, we are not getting sufficient of those willing to do this workthere is a reluctance on the part of those whoso bona fides cannot be challenged, a reluctance in most cases, quite inexcusable. This ie perhaps tho only way they can give practical help of the nature required fust now, and no' man should hesitate tq pocket his-feelings: In any case, carried; out with ordinary intelligence ana toot, there should be no unpleasantness created. The ■■■report was adopted. ;■■•;- Mr J A. Johnstone, on behalf of the Public Appeal Committee, reported as follows :-The February collection for the Belgian Fund amount to £617 Os 10d a considerable increase on the sum obtained the previous month. Havre**, all collectors report that many of the chief subscribers in the various districts are dis- | continuing their support of the fund, which £ to be regretted, for there can fre no doubt that the Belgians are stall in urgent need of all and more than we can ever give to help them. It would appear as thoush tho public are forgetting tho sacrifice and suffering of Belgium on our behalf, for to those whp realise the- awfulne& of her fate it &a bo only duty for H?to help and' continue to help her people to X hSfc of our ability. Aβ to the SerbLn Fund! £2899 17s 5d has been already forwarded, this being tho amount raised to date in connection with the effort made at the second Dunedin wool sale, together rrith further donations received. We were honing to raise in all £3000, and to this end Loral bales of wool were donated to-thc fund. These wero sold at the third Puncdin wool sale, which, took place, on S, tth fast, but, owing to a serious <h™ in values, did not realise anything lfk? what was expected. However, the iiKo ™"^ v Ifo Rd resulted from the sale, Mon ? s Christian in Egypt durthifi week a donrnion effort is being Sfde to rlSat, least £20,000 to enable the YMOAto carry on its magnificent work If holpiW our soldiers to avoid .the subtb t Lpi?™Ss of that Inn* Otago is expected to raise at least £3000 of this amount, and it is hoped that as this work so directly touches our own lads, it will be met with a tery generous response. Not only the oiti'Jm of Dunedin, but also, tho farmers throughout the whole district are nmtod to support this movement, and are reouorted to send in their contributions not feter than this week cither to the chairman of tho Public Appeal Cbmmrttee or to the editor of the Otago Daily Times.— A T°hei?oldior S ' and Dopftndente' Welfare Committoo reported that 50 additional applications for assistance had been considered, and in 48 cases amounts «raa»«ng a weekly payment of £26 2s 6d had been mide The total number of cases now receiving assistance was 299. During the month £107 had boon rccoived from the •°, Defence Department m repayment of adJ .' viinces made to men.—The report' was *" * Hon J T. Paul, as chairman of the '* Advisory Board of tho Federation of Now

Zealand War Relief Societies, reported the decisions arrived at by tho board at it-s first meeting. These included tho following:— "That, in -view of tlic assurance given by the Minister of Defenco that tho money provided jjjby patriotic societies for soldiers nerving abroad would bo used solely for comforts outsido tho ordinary necessities, the board endorse tho resolution passed by conference, as follows: —" That it be a recommendation to the patriotic societies throughout tho dominion that the amount roquired for the provision of extra comforts for New Zealand soldiers in England and elsewhere--namely, £3000 monthly—be subscribed regularly by tho patriotic societies on the quota system, on tho same ba*is as the Belgian Fund; and recommend tho societies to act accordingly as from April 1. , 'That the Government be urged to allow the full rate (4i per cent) of interest on patriotic funds invested in the Post Offico Saving* Bank.' '.That, where possible, appeals other than local for financial assistance from patriotic societies shall bo referred to the Advisory Board for consideration and recommendation.' " —These recommendations were considered. That dealing with the provision of comforts for New Zoaland soldiers was referred to the Soldiers' Welfare Committee, with power to act. The others were approved. The board notified that their functions were purely advisory.