PATRIOTIC COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24696, 27 August 1941, Page 10

PATRIOTIC COUNCIL

FORTNIGHTLY MEETING The fortnightly meeting of the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council was held yesterday afternoon and was attended by the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen), and Messrs Edgar Hazlett, J. R. Copland (Clutha zone). J, “W.'Smeafon. James Ritchie (Vincent zone), J. W. Dove, W. B. Taverner, J. Sutherland Ross, James Hogg, W. G. Kindley, G. Z. Lindley, A. C, Cameron, Arthur Barnett, J. J, Marlow. J, M. White, and Dr W. Newlands. ’■ A letter was received from the St. John Ambulance advising the resignation of' Mr H. L. Paterson as its representative on the council. It was stated that it /was not intended to fjiake any further appointment. It was decided to thank Mr Paterson for his services during his membership of the council. Finance Committee Mr Hazlett, chairman of the Finance Committee, asked for authority to pay £839 9s. He said that £215 of this amount had been spent for cigarettes and tobacco to be sent overseas Authority was given. Mercantile Marine The secretary (Mr A. E. Russell) read a report from a sub-committee which had been set up to go into the question of the entertainment and welfare of the men of the -mercantile marine visiting the port. The report stated that the sub-committee had piet Mr Arthur Macdonald and Mr T. Ritchie, of the Council of Scottish Societies, and that they had already been meeting men of the mercantile marine and looking after them. The Mayor said that Messrs Macdonald and Ritchie were agreeable to continuing the work as a sub-committee of the Otago Council. It was decided to appoint Messrs Macdonald and Ritchie and to make them a grant to enable them to carry on the work. Camps in Otago. Mr Hazlett paid that they would have noticed in the press that it was likely that the camps at Wingatui and Forbury Park would be closed. As a consequence there would not be many men in the future to be provided for at the Services Club. That being so, he thought it would be better to defer spending further money at the club until the council could get a better idea of the number of men who would be in the local camps in the future. The Mayor said that it looked as if the camps at Wingatui and Forbury Park were to be closed. He had sent a telegram to the Minister of Defence. Mr F. Jones* regarding the matter, but he had not so far received a reply. It was the Intention, he understood, that all men for overseas were to go into camp at Trentham. and all the territorials into camp at Papakura. Waiouru and Burnham. He thought it would be regrettable if the camps at Dunedin were taken away. He agreed with Mr Hazlett that the council had better not incur any further expense at the clubs premises until it secured definite information regarding the camps in Otago and how many men were to be trained in them from now on It was decided to allow the matter, of expenditure at the club to stand over in the meantime. Treasurer’s Report The honorary treasurer (Mr R. A. Johnston) submitted his report. He said that the total receipts since the inception of the council, including the Red Cross and Spitfire funds, were £225,316 16s. JThe- report was adopted. . Appeals Committee

Mr Hoga reported on behalf of the Appeals Committee. He referred to the collections being made for air raid distress funds, and said he thought it, would be better to extend the time for receiving collections for this fund to September '3O. The report was adopted. « Services and Dependents The secretary of the council (Mr A. E, Russell) reported that the amount expended from the Services and De-> pendents’ Account for war relief purnoses up to August 1. when the secretaryship of the Relief Committee had been taken' over by Mr E. R. Grace, was £577 9s lid The total amount expended to date, including an amount of £32 14s 9d shown in Mr Grace’s report of that day. was £671 19s 8d The report was noted Gift from Jockey Club U A cheque for £ 1347, the total profits from the race meetings held by the Dunedin Jockey Club during the past year was received with thanks The club asked that the money be earmarked for the rehabilitation of all the forces including nurses, ,