CITIZENS' DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13972, 19 April 1916, Page 7

CITIZENS' DEFENCE COMMITTEE.

The above committee held (their usual meeting 3-esterday afternoon. IMr .1. W. Bright presiding. .Mi's Margaa-et Stewart wrote asking that the late. Mr Stewart's flag be sold to the best advantage for tlie Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The cliairman said h«bad the flag, and an opportunity unVhl be taken to offer it on Anz-ic Day. Commissioner Hodder acknowledged with thanks, the receipt of |£50 donated by the committee to I>p dispensed by the Salvation Army for the comfort of New Zealand soldiers at Malta.

The Department of Internal Affairs acknowledged receipt of the committee's donation of £495 12s 2d for the Belgian Relief Fund, and expressing appreciation' r.t; the generous donation. It was pointed out that the total contributions from Gisborne to date for this fund amounted to £7563 7s 4d. Of. this sum £2400 had been remitted, leaving a balance of £5163 7s 4d available for future distribution. — The chairman did not think the money was being banked up m this way. He thought the donations were forwarded immediately. —Mr Stock : We might just as well hold it here and let it earn interest. — On th*motion of Mr Sherratt, seconded by MiBroad hurst, it was decided to ask the Government to forward thp money m hand for Belgian relietf, and to make the Government subsidy^ a question of account.

llie question of badges for the returned soldiers was considered, and it was pointed out that the armlets provided by the Government were o£ no use. It was agreed to obtain a supply of button badges, and' the details were left m the hands of Mr Birrell.

A circular (as previously published) was received from Miss E. A. Rout, giving particulars regarding the Volunteer Sisterhood.

The following further donations ior the various funds were acknowledged : Patriotic cricket match £19, T. 0. Williamson £1000, Mrs E. Kenway £2, Williams and Kettle £5 7s 6d (sale of M'ool on account of Leach Bros.), and 18s 5d (on account of If. Kenway), Supiteme Court witness 10s, R. Atkins* senr., £2, A. C. Steele 13s lid (sale of wool on account of A. J. McGregor), A. R. Watson £2 12s (sale of wool), S. F. Clare £22 2s (sale of wool), N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Go. £2 10s 7d (odd samples wool), Mangatu Sports Club £30, W. B. Cox £2, H. 5.11. £10, 0.J.R8. £13, E.L.B. £1 10s; also the following monthly subscriptions : Mrs Lena C. Caldwell Jdl 4s (3 months), Scotia ss, O. Mayston £2, Mr and Mrs H. Williamson £1, Kia Ora Dairying Co. £10, Mr and Mrs W. J. Rusself £2, A. R. Watson £6 (3 months), C.1.8.8. ±"2 (5 months), W. B. Mand^r £20. The cash statement showed the balances m the various (funds to be as fab lows: Wounded Soldier* £21,527 Os 7d, Belgian Relief £39, Serbian Relief £2, Red Cross £3 4s, local distress £141 ss, Scottish widows £12 2s 6d, machine gun fund £28 14s 6d, general fund £4216 12s 9d, T. C. Wiliamsons donation not allotted £1000; total £26,769 19s 4d. ./ '

Mr Birr ell reported there had been a slight increase m recruiting during the wq?k. Referring to the Returned Soldiers' Bureau he said they had procured work for some returned soldiers, but pointed out that lpost of the work offering was m the country, and that was not suitable. Mr Birrell advocated some method of advertising for employment to suit the needs of the men. They would soon have cases that it would be impossible to deal with m this district, owning to tho . men being incapacitated from (following 1 their callings. It was decided to advertise tho employment . required by the men.