HELPING RETURNED SOLDIERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14711, 17 September 1918, Page 7

HELPING RETURNED SOLDIERS

£10,000 SET ASIDE

THE PRINCIPLE AFIRMED

Tn regard to the important question as to the disposal of a portion of th*> £30,000 m the. hands of the Citizens' Defence Committee a considerable discussion, •on-sued at the ordinary meeting ot tlio committee yesterday afternoon, when the following recommendation- was submitted by the special committee appointed to go int<> the matter: — "The committee Jrecormuends that the sum of £10,000 be set aside from the wounded soldiers' fund for the purpose ot making advances to returned so'.diers to establish them m business, trade, or for the acquirement of land, bat only m such cases where the evidence submitted by the applicant is .suoli to warrant a reasonable amount of success, and the security or guarantee given is satisfactory, these 'advances not to exceed the .'sum of £200, interest to be, say 5 i>er cent reducible to 3j per cent ou* tho prompt periodic payments of same, such payments to be half -yearly, Theso advances only to be granted to nieu who have enlisted from this district, and who intend to start business, trade, or acquire land wihtin the boundaries of same.''

After a considerable discussion it was decided to affirm 'the principle that a sum of £10,000 should be utilised for the purpose mentioned m the .report, but all details .were Referred to' a special coimnittep. j In the course of] the discussion Mr It. M. Birrell said tljat, as the mover, m the first place ho <jnly presented it with a view to elucidating the jiosition. It mtus tho association's: aim to draw np regulations on ' business methods and to carry them out; with businesslike methods. Ho moved the adoption of the report with the recommendation of the principle that '£lo,ooo bo disbursed. Mr (t. B. Oman seconded. He said that some, regulations would have to be drawn up. He did not think tho Miaoria should join m it, as th,ey had funds of their own.

Mr Barry:' Only on the Coast. Continuing, Mr ' Oman said steps would have to be taken- to protect the society's interests as much as possible m the matter of the loans. , .

Mr Reynolds supported the adoption of th© principle of the recommendation. Mr Humphreys also supported the principle, but considered there should be no question of boundary. It was going to bo a difficult -matter "to find land suitable for -settlement m this district, and consequently these men Avould have to go to Opotiki and other districts. Security _hould bo taken wliich, m most cases, would be the character of the niau.

Mr W. Pitt supported tlie views taken by Mr Humphreys. So far as Mi Oman's remarks Mere concerned, he hoped no line of distinction would be introduced between tho races. The specia! fund set up for Maoris extended all rtlong the Ea«t Coast, ami, m addition, contr£ buttons were made from the fund for ; Red Cross and other causes. | Mi* J. W. Bright moved as an- amendment, that £5000 be disbursed instead of £10,000, as. included m the recoravt endation. The district had subscribed m a wonderful uianncr m tho early stages of tho waj\ but when increased taxation came on, the same could not be expected from the farming community .*m on earlier occasions. H e instanced a case where a farmer who produced 250 bales of wool had to pay over £5000 m taxation. He considered it was bettei to wait until • the war was over and all the boys returned. A place m the -Auckland district had been opened up for dairying, but it had not been a success, and besides the unsuitable nature of tlie property some of tlie settlers had not the necessary knowledge to secure efficiency, and consequently the venturi j was not a success.

Mr W. J. Sinclair . supported Mi Bright's contention, . and he considered that anything outside of temporary support m necessary cases was beyond the scope of the society. Mr 11. Kenway supported Mr Bright'? views. He could see so much difficulty ahead m connection with the loans that Jie considered it more advisable to make "straight-out* grants to the men. Tho Chairman* «aid about 5000 men had gone, 500 had returned, and others were still going. They would all have to be assisted on their also.

Mr Wauehop: The fund is only to assist returned soldiers' who- axe Avouiided.

Mr W. Pitt: It also includes invalided soldiers Avith sickness.

Mr iStock reminded the meeting that tho greater, amount drawn -from the fund reduced the amount of. interest available. He favored Mr Bright *a contention. So far as the rate of interest on loan was concerned, the money should not be let. out under this rate of 4 pei cent. So many regulations would have to be introduced that he considered it more advisable just to continue temporary relief.

I Mr Fletcher said that the faot of Mr Rright amending the amount to read £5000 instead of £10,000 showed that he affirmed the- principle of tlie recommendation. It had been mentioned at the sps-cial meeting previously that the Crimean' fund /was still m the bank and only the interest was 'being utilised, Christchurch, Taranaki, and Wairarapa all advanced loans with apparent satisfactory results, and gave out money without interest.

Mr H. White suggested tha matter should be referred to a special committee to draw up more concrete data.

Mr Coleman : Wo must affirm the princip'c. Mr Stock suggested that Mr Bright should substitute the words "a sum." instead of £5000.

This Mr Bright declined to accept. Mr BirreH . said he did not think it wa« too much to place £10,000 at the d'sposal of an efficient committee to assist tho soldier to once more "get on his feet." Tlio representatives of the R.S.A. had suggested running the loans on a proper business-like maimer. It did not i*ieoes_a.ri"y mean the £10,000 would be a dead loss. It seemed to him that porno of the members, did not think too highly of the returned soldier. He knew that some men who had returned were very trustworthy. So far as soldiers settling m other districts was concerned, they could be kept -under obscr.vat'on by the various associations controlling the district. Mr Coleman : But you can only advance money to soldiers enlisting m your district. Mr B : rrell : Then the motion- could be amended.

Mr Stock considered that if the amendment to expend £5000 Avas carried, it Avould enable a test to be made to ascertain if the principle could be successfully nmnaged. Mr Bright, m reply, said that he liad not for one moment anything but the highest esteem, for the' returned soldier, and his remarks had not been made m that light. Ou being put to the meflting the amendment AA r as lost, only having seven supporters, audi .the motion affirming the principle Avas carried. Mr Oman moved that a, committee be set up. Mr Humphreys seconded. After further discussion, the folloAVing committee was set up to go into, the matter and report fully .to the next meeting, aud m the meantime to draAv up regu'ations : Messrs AY. G. Sherratt, J. W. Bright, 11. . Kenway, G. Stock, and Fletcher.

As mentioned above; it -was decided to affirm the- principle only of the expenditure of £10,000, being one-third of the total amount m the hands of the committee.