OTAGO PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 24

OTAGO PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION

ANNUAI. MEETING. The second: annual meeting of tho Ota-go I Patriotic and General Welfare Association was held on the_27th in tho Town Hall. Tho Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark) presided, and there was r fairly numerous attendance. The Mayor, in moving tho adoption of the report and balance sheet, mentioned that since August 14, 1914, the association had been carrying on its work quietly and unostentatiously with a considerable measure of success. As time went on it had been found that certain phases of work had had to be dropped and others more important taken up. The first important work of the association had been to improve the condition of the men who wore awoy, the condition of their dependents, and the condition of the men returning, and tho association might take to itself a certain amount of satisfaction in the fact that in a great many cases in which it had agitated what had been sought had become* accomplished facts. The greater portion of the work had naturally fallen upon the committee dealing with the soldiers and their dependents. Very early in the year that committee had found the work was becoming so great that it was necessary to reorganise the system, and two sub-committees were formed : one to deal with tho claims of returned men, and the other with the.claims of d'epend--'ent3. These two committees had met e.verv week—sometimes more frequently—.and the main committee had met every month and sometimes every fortnight. During the year the committee had had 1957 cases hefore it, in which the applicants asked for assistance in various directions, and this had', involved an expenditure of £12,514 for dependents, and about £SOOO for soldiers. There had also been expended £BSO to provide comforts for soldiers in hospital in New Zealand, and £ll6O had been spent on comforts for men in overseas hospitals; mating a total of £13,000. They could quite understand the great amount of time necessary to investigate all these cases, and too much credit could not be given to the committee engaged in the work, and to ladies and gentlemen not directly connected with the committee. Neither could too much credit be given to the ladies who had visited! the men in hospital. These ladies had spent a great deal of time in visitinir cases. In no case had there been any failure to assist and comfort those in need, and tho whole citv was under a deep debt of gratitude to these ladies. There had been a new departure in dealing with the Returned Soldiers' Association, and this had helped to bring the committee into clossr touch with that association. He desired to thank Mr Rattray for the work he had dono in connection with visiting the_ Hospital. That gentleman kept then acquainted with particulars concerning soldiers that they 'might otherwise never know anything about. Tho increased allowance of the Government to wives and children had assisted the committee materially, and in the majority of cases tho committee was not called upon to givo much monetary help. During the three months the soldier was in camp it was almost impossible for him to contribute towards the upkeep of his home, and the association then did what it could to see that those left behind were kept in moderate comfort. Fathers, mothers, and sisters did not got so much as tho others, but it was a comfort to find that a number of the young fellows had been wonderfully good to those left behind. It was felt that the association must tr}- as far as possible to take the place of the sons who had gone away. There were quite a number of exceptional cases of illness in families, and in cases of that kind tho association did what it could. There was a branch of the committee that was most important, and was. growing in size, and that* was tho employment bureau. This bureau had placed 141 men in employment, the bulk of whom were not able to engage in their old occupations. They were particularly indebted to tho employers, who in nearly every case had met them very generously. In the majority of cases the men coming baok from tho front had settled down to work, and were giving satisfaction to those who had employed them. The Government had recognised the work of the bureau by voting £l5O to pay expenses. They were quite confident that this work had been done'better by privato effort than it would havo been by a Government department. One great expense the association had been put to was to provide mufti for men coming back. It was a burning question between tho association and the Government, and the association was in hope 3 that a satisfactory arrangement would be come to. The association had spent during the last 12 months something £IOOO in this direction. They were indebted to the women's branch, which had provided clothing and had rendered much' assistance. Another trouble thoy had been faced with was that there was always a gap between' the time tho men were discharged and the time tho pensions began. Arrangements had. however, been made whereby the Governmenfc_ would provide meari3 to. relieve tho association of that drain upon its funds. One of the biggest works was that done by the advisory body. In all oases people were advised to fill in a form,'and the association owed a debt of gratitude to the Government department for the way it had treated the requests mnde. They had no fault to find with the departmental officers or the way they helped. Ho did not think that it was quite realised that tho women's branch was not an indeoendent orsanisotion. The women worked most loyally with the association, but had not come to it for funds. were very much indebted to the branch for the marvellous and splendid work done. During the year the women had sent 5050 transport parcels to men going away, and 63 cases of gifts for [general distribution anions- the men on the transports. They had sent, somethinc over 80,000 parcels away to men at the front at a cost of £BOOO. They had also made provision for supplyiw underwear for the men goiiio; over to England after leaving tho trenches. The women had sent, away 4K84 srarmonts for snob men. Tho\- had also always koofc i" kindly touch with tho men in hosnitnl. and it should be emphasised that anything thev gave the men whs not onid for out of the patriotic funds. They did that work themselves, and ther and tV'ir friends eunph'ed tho money. If, was delicrbtfu'l to rend of tho work the school cln'dren wore doing.

Mr S. Solomon, K.C.. m>oon<k<l fcho motion, an'd said a very great deal of work

had been done. So far as tho Soldiers' Comiuitteo was concerned, it would surprise members and the people cf Ihinedin when ho told them that the auditors had informed him that the payments out were between £12,000 and £14,000. That would give some idea of the magnitude of the work. Lieutenant colonel Stoneham emphasised the good work tho women had done. Tho motion was carried. The election of officers resulted as follows: —President, the Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark); vice-president, Mr J. B. ShackJook; treasurer, Mr G. A. Lewin; executive — Father Coffey. Dean Fitehott, Rev. R. S. Gray, Dr Fulton, Dr Harrison, Hon. J. T. Paul, Lieutenant-colonel Stoneham, Messrs S. Solomon, K.C, A. B. Armour, James Begg, Robert Conn, F. G. Cumming, G. L. Denniston, George Fenwiok, R. W. Glcndininfr, Edgar Hazlett, John Loudon, M. M'AUen, J. C. M'George, P. M'Skimming, jun., J. L. Salmond,.C. Russell Smith, C. Speight, D. E. Theomin, and George T Catto. A vote of thanks to the Mayor for his services during the year concluded the meeting.