CANTEEN AND WAR FUNDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18953, 29 August 1923, Page 5

CANTEEN AND WAR FUNDS.

CONSOLIDATION SUGGESTED. RETURNED SOLDIERS’ ASSOCIATION’S PROPOSAL. At the usual monthly meeting of the Executive Committee last night, Mr V. Banders brought up the matter of canteen and patriotic funds. The president (the Rev. Hector Maclean) occupied the chair. Mr Sanders moved, Mr F. Sims seconding— (l) “That a strong effort he made in conjunction with other Returned Soldier Associations of the dominion to secure the consolidation of the Canteen Fund, War Funds, and the various other funds of a like nature, with the object of preventing tho further depletion of the aggregate sum and of establishing a permanent fund, the annual interest on which will bo sufficient to meet the reasonable claims of distressed returned soldiers and their dependants. (2) “That with the object of giving effect to the foregoing, all of the various authorities administering these funds be communicated with at once, pointing out the advisability of such a course, and enumerating the many advantages to be gained in the general interests of returned soldiers, and asking their co-operation. (3) “That the Returned Soldiers Association headquarters and the association s branches be written to asking for an expression of opinion on this question.” Mr Sanders, in supporting his motion, said that the matter had first come up when Mr J. J. Clark had given an address on wav and patriotic funds, and Colonel Stewart had spoken on canteen funds. Ho (Mr Sanders) contended that although these funds were rather huge they were given away perhaps too generously, and possibly in some cases not to the proper persons. In some cases the funds were given out by sub-committees, and it appeared to him that if that view was persisted in the moneys would he exhausted. In tho case of sub-committees, soldiers in small districts would not benefit in tho long lun, as the funds 'would be all spent. He maintained that the money should not be given away, as in many cases soldiers were quite willing to pay such loans back. Mr Sanders’s idea was that the whole of these funds should bo consolidated, and it would bo found that the annual interest would bo more than ample to supply the needs of necessitous soldiers. Also, if the funds were consolidated they would be administered from one central source. He contended that on tho sub-committees controlling these funds returned soldiers should comprise at least half of the members. By doing that the funds would last for all time, and they would not be given away by “dribs and drabs.” The administration of tho funds at present was also very costly. The first, step would be to initiate the proposal, and then definite action would be taken. They should seek tho support not only of the other Returned Soldiers’ Associations but also of tho various sub-committees controlling those funds. When the claims of distressed soldiers had been met, a considerable sum would still remain. Mr Sanders suggested that mortgages could then he obtained for ex-soldiers at a less exorbitant price than was tho ease to-day. There had been some talk of the Government taking over these funds, but, although the Government had power to take over any such funds, it could not utilise them for any other purpose than that for which they had been collected. However, be thought that this was only a scare. The Secretary (Mr A. C. Laing) stated that at March, 1923, there was a sum of £1,385,067 remaining available to meet the various trusts set up under the provision ot the War Funds Act, 1915, and its amendments. This huge sum was held by the National War Funds Council and 105 provincial societies. This meant a total of £6,784,002, equal, on a capitation basis, to £5 16s 6d per head of the population of the dominion —a result, so far as is known from tho publication of accounts in other countries, to ho far in excess of anything achieved in the Empire.

Mr E. J. Anderson thought that it would bo a huge task to administer tho funds from one source. Mr Sanders said that it would entail no more work than was the case at present. Mr H. H. Walker inquired whether it Wag intended to amalgamate the Red Cross Society in this general consolidation of funds.

Mr Sanders replied in th e negative. Tho Red Cross funds, he continued, were an entirely different matter. After a little further discussion, the motion was carried unanimously.