PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 54

PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

TO THE EDITOB Sir, —A short discussion took place at tho last meeting of tho Executive Committee of the Otago Patriotic Association as to the amounts now standing at the credit of the several provincial funds, and as to the amounts collected in the various districts. Tho discussion had its origin in the feeling that the effort recently launched by tho Public Appeals Committee of the Otago Patriotic Association had not 'met with tho support it deserved, and that Otago people, as compared with those in the other districts of the dominion, were not doing their duty. Stress was laid on tho fact that the unexpended balance of tho patriotic funds in tho hands of the Otago Association waa small compared with tho amounts still in hand in the other districts, and that there was very urgent need of a large augmentation of tho Otago funds. Since tho meeting referred to I have examined the Parliamentary Paper H. 46, which gives a detailed statement of the amounts collected, disbursed, and held by the patriotic societies of New Zealand at March 31, 1917, and I have prepared the following figures showing the total amounts collected, tho contributions of the peoplo per capita in each district (for which latter purpose I have taken the population figures shown in the census of last year), the percentage of moneys collected paid in direct relief to soldiers and their dependents, tho percentage of administration expenses to the amount paid away, and the position of the general disbursements fund at September 17, 1917: Funds Collected to 31st March, 1917, with Accrued Interest. Contribution Population, per head, £ ». a. Auckland £000.825 308,766 1 18 11 Wellington 637,944 232,114 2 14 Hi Canterbury 486,728 181,769 2 13 6J Otago 305,820 131,518 2 6 6 Note.—Southland is not included in the Otago figures. The amount collected in Southland was £89,086; population, 59,629. Per Centage- of Moneys Collected Paid inDirect Belief to Soldiers and Xheih Dependents. Auckland S-. 57 Canterbury 3.99 Wellington 3.24 Otago 9.79 Per Centage of administrative Expenses to . amount Paid Away. Auckland 22.65 Canterbury 50.78 Wellington 103.6 Otago 11.87 Position- of Otago Fund at 17th September, 1917. Received: Soldiers' and Dependents' Fund ... £ 37,603 18 9 Queen Carnival 104,634 4 4 Unconditional Fund 4,825 10 8 147,063 12 9 Disbursed from Soldiers' and Dependents' and Unconditional Funds 37,182 7 4 Balance £109,881 5 6 Note.—£9o,ooo of this balance is invested in Government debentures. It will be seen from the above figures that Otago, proportionate to its population, shows a quite creditable result in its contributions. Although the,amount is not proportionate to the amount raised per head in Wellington and Canterbury, it is better than the per capita figures of Auckland Otago showing £2 6s 6d, as against Auckland £1 18s lid. It will be seen, also, that Otago has been more liberal in the relief it has granted to soldiers and their dependent© than any other district. I do not think this is in tho least due to any want of care in making grants, for the constitution of the Soldiers' and Dependents' Welfare Committee, and the scrupulously careful inquiries made by the men and women who investigated the cases that came before them, have been a sufficient guarantee that moneys granted have been no more than the cases called for. It is to tho credit of tho Patriotic Association Executive, also, that the administrative expenses have been kept so low as the figures disclose. The low percentage is, indeed, quite remarkuble. I have not written this letter with any view of discounting the necessity for the effort that is being made for the augmentation of the funds at the disposal of the executive, but simply to show that the people of Otago have not done so badly as has been supposed, and in the firm belief that, later on, when the necessity for increased funds has become more apparent, there will be a response that none of us need bo ashamed of. I know, of course, that thero are many people who have not subscribed to these splendid funds, and who stonily button up their pockets when appealed to. Some day they may be brought to recognise their utter failure to realise what is° due to tho men who have faced discomfort and suffering and death to fight for tho liberties of the race, and still more what is due to the helpless dependents of those who have sacrificed their lives or returned to us permanently maimed or broken in health. Fortunately, tho people as a whole know their dutv, and give with cheerfulness and gratitude," and I have sufficient faith in them to believe that when the time comes for making a further appeal the custodians of the Otago funds will not be disappointed. —I am, etc., September 20, George Fenwick.