PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Southland Times, Issue 17660, 18 February 1916, Page 6

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON. SPHERES OF SOCIETIES AND THE STATE. PRELIMINARY' RESOLUTIONS. FEDERATION OF SOCIETIES APPROVED. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February IT. The conference of representatives of Patriotic Societies in New Zealand commenced to-day. The Hon. O. It. Russell presided. He stated that a large number of men had returned to New Zealand and their claims of consideration at the hands of both the Government and patriotic societies had become so insistent that it was absolutely necessary that there should be a clear definition of the respective spheres in which each would operate. The number of soldiers Bent away up to January IT was 31.T53, of whom 3642 had returned. Of these ■460 had notified that they needed no further assistance from the State. Assuming that out total forces finally readied 8-1,383. on present experience pension demands would amount to £198,156 per annum. To supplement this sum by 50 per cent, from the patriotic societies would require an annual payment of £98,0 1 2, made up as follows :—Auckland military district, £26,850; Wellington. £33,094; Canterbury, £22,554; Otago, £16,250. This Bum might seem a large one, but in a country so richly endowned there should be no difficulty in the State paying its share and patriotic societies averaging expenditure which would represent a supplementation of 50 per cent of pensions and allowance granted by the State.

A motion to exclude the Minister having been withdrawn, the conference asked him to preside, and then proceeded to discuss the suggestions made by him. The first was "To define the respective •responsibilities of the State and Patriotic Societies with regard to soldiers either within or beyond New Zealand. Several amendments were submitted, the controversy being whether the Government should undertake the responsibility of looking after New Zealanders In Britain. The Mayor of "Wellington said there was an urgent necessity for the Government to be alive to its responsibilities, *nd not put the same on private shoulders. He moved : To make it incumbent on the Government to provide for the needs and comforts of sick and wounded soldiers In Britain and overseas from the time of enlistment till their discharge, patriotic societies to be left to assist In any form they thought fit. The chairman assured delegates that the Government would provide all the necessities for sick and wounded at Home, but not unessential luxuries. The Mayor of Wellington’s proposal was adopted with one dissentient. On the motion of Mr Rodger (Southland) it was decided : That in the opinion of this conference the responsibility of restoring a returned soldier and his dependents to as nearly as possible the condition of life they occupied prior to his joining the forces is the duty of the Government. Two or three dissentients objected to the inclusion of dependents. On the motion of Mr D. McLaren, seconded by Mr Cyrus Williams, it was decided : That in the opinion of this conference the responsibility of providing for the needs of soldiers’ dependents should rest upon the State, to be supplemented by patriotic societies in special cases. Delegates stated that they simply asked that the separation allowance he made more adequate to meet the needs of married men. After further discussion the > Minister’s first suggestion was referred to the "State and Y T oluntary Action Committee.’’ NATIONAL FEDERATION OF SOCIETIES. A resolution was carried affirming the necessity for establishing a national federation of patriotic war relief societies, and referring the whole question Of federation and organisation to a committee to report at to-morrow’s meeting of the conference.

The Hon. J. T. Paul said that while supporting the general idea of federation he objected strongly to anything in the nature of compelling societies to federate, interfering with their operations and pooling the funds. The Hon. G. W. Russell stated that there was nothing about compulsion in the resolution and that there was no lawin the dominion under which such compulsion could be exercised. REMITTANCES TO SICK AND WOUNDED. In reply to questions from delegates the Hon. j. Allen stated that remittances to sick and wounded men in England, Egypt, and elsewhere, when made to men not in hospitals or convalescent homes were paid over directly*, that such remittances should be sent through the pay office of the Defence Department, that being the best and quickest way to reach the men.

With respect to men in hospitals or convalescent homes, however, any money sent to them was held by the High Commissioner till the men came out. and then paid over together with their accumulated pay. Demands had been made by soldiers for money but sp far as lie could see no money was needed by men in hospitals or convalescent homes, but when they were out assistance might lie valuable. In It is opinion an unmarried man with no dependents did not require very much money in England after he came out of hospital because he had ins accumulated pay, but in the case of married men assistance would no doubt

he welcome. Mr Russell thought that what was meant was that if patriotic societies in New Zealand thought it desirable that money should be sent Home to increase the comforts of men in hospitals and convalescent homes would there be any Objection to men getting that money. Mr Allen : "There would he very grave objection as long as they were in hospitals or convalescent homes." The position of the funds at the disposal of the Defence Department was that the Department had already sent to England some £7OOO subscribed by patriotic societies, and they had only a very small balance in hand. The High Commissioner stated that some £3500 per month was required for the purposes of the comforts’ fund in England, and £ISOO £>cr month for Egypt, Malta, etc. The Minister for Defence, therefore, suggested that patriotic societies should supplement that fund to the extent of £3OOO a month in order to provide extra comforts for the men. With regard to comforts for prisoners Of war, Mr Allen stated that they had distributed a certain amount to prisoners in Turkey. So far as be knew there were only 22 of them. They had sent help through the Red Cross and other societies, and also some small parcels with regard to the exchange of prisoners of war. The only exchange so far as lie knew would be of men incapacitated for further service at the front, and those exchanges were not arranged by New Zealand, but by the Imperial authorities. MEN IN HOSPITALS. In reply to a further question as to the position of men in hospitals and convalescent homes, Mr Allen said ho had inquired both in England and in Egypt whether anything more could be done than was being done for the sick and wounded, and the answer was that nothing more could he suggested that might be done. Mr Allen added that the High Commissioner had been instructed to meet any claims from prisoners of war in Turkey that he deemed reasonable and proper, and suggested that it might be well for patriotic societies to place funds at the High Commissioner’s disposal for that purpose. There was, said the Minister, very serious objection to money being sent except through Government channels. Only by sending money through Government channels could they check ovor-lapping and similar evils. The Government had hoped that patriotic societies would undertake the obligation of supplying the wounded with artificial limbs, but as a previous conference had decided that it was for the Government to see to that the Government was undertaking the provision of artificial limbs of best make for all soldiers who needed them, and no difference in that regard would be made between officers and men,

COMMITTEES. Before adjournment three committees were appointed to deal respectively:— (1) With definition of respective responsibilities of State and Patriotic Societies: (2) With the question of federation and (3) With general relief investments and care of institutions. The committee are to report to the conference to-morrow. WHEAT AND OATS THE HARVEST ESTIMATED. INCREASED SUPPLY'. (Per United Press Association.) YY r ELLINGTON, February IT. The following estimated average yields per aero of wheat and oa'ts for the current season have been made up from reports of fields by inspectors of the Department of Agriculture through-

Avcrage (estimated) for season, 1915-16 .. .. 21.89 .. 33.46 Averages (actual) for season, 1914-15 25.94 . . 39.TT According to the above estimates the total yield for the dominion should be approximately as under, the figures for the previous season being given for comparison:— YVheat. Oats. Estimated yield, 1915-16 . .. T,309,020 12,T22,T33 Actual yields, 1914-15 . .. 6,644,336 11,436,301

out the dominion; — Wheat Oats (bushels (bushels District. per acre). per acre) Auckland .. . . 25.55 24.95 Taranaki .. . . 30.67 43.64 Hawke’s Bay . . 2G.SS 46.41) Wellington . . . 32.34 37.92 Marlborough .. 23.S3 35.50 Nelson . . . . .. 20.05 22.01 Canterbury . . 20.54 24.S3 Otago .. . . 34.21 Southland .. . . 3S.00 50.00