FOR TROOPERS' BENEFIT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 216, 16 October 1914, Page 8

FOR TROOPERS' BENEFIT.

PROVIDENT FUND AMENDMENT BILL. [From our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 15. The second reading of the National Provident Fund Amendment Bill was moved in the House of Representatives to-day by the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher. The Minister explained that under the Act absence from the Dominion for aj period invalidates a contributor's claim to benefit under the fund. The object of the Bill was to provide that members of the New Zealand Expeditionary :Foree should not be disqualified from the benefits of the fund through absence on active service. Contributions payable to the fund during the absence of a member on service, and for six months thereafter, shall be reduced to one-half of the regular contributions. In the case of a member employed on military duties in New Zealand, the board may, if it thinks fit, reduce his contribution by an amount not exceeding one : half of the regular rate. In answer to Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt), Mr Fisher said- that the Bill provided for the members of •■ the Samoan force, as well as for those who might sail at any future time. Mr Wilford said that' the Bill was a good one, and recommended it to the favourable consideration, of the House. Mr A. Harris (Waitemata) urged the Minister to make provision for the payment of the levies of members of Friendly Societies. Mr Fisher: That could not be done in this Bill. It would need a special ! measure. ( Mr J... S. Dickson (Parnell) said that, [the Friendly Society to which he belonged had decided to keep up the contributions of all its members who went on active service. Mr Fisher said that the various societies had shown a splendid spirit in providing for the upkeep of soldiers' levies from the lodge funds. Mr W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) wished to know if the Government were going to do anything to guarantee the payment of the life insurance premiums of members of the Force. Mr Fisher said that that would be a very big order,. but it had been at least decided that the premiums of men insured in the Government office should not be increased. An hon. member: Have other offices increased the rate? Mr Fisher: I cannot say definitely at present, but I know that I had to discuss the question with the manager of the Government office, and it was decided that the State should not penalise any man who went on service. Very possibly this may mean the imposition of a considerable burden on the office. Dr A. K. Newman: Other offices are increasing their rates by 5 per cent. Mr Fisher: That is very possible; The second reading was carried on the voices. WORKERS' DWELLINGS BILL. The Prime. Minister (Bight Hon. W. F. Massey) moved the second reading of the Workers' Dwellings Amendment Bill. He said that the Bill proposed certain amendments for the better working of the scheme. Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) supported the Bill, but -made a few suggestions which he thought would improve it. One, of the members of the Workers' Dwellings' Board which the Bill proposes to set up, he contended, should be a working carpenter, with a first-hand knowledge of the requirements of workers. : WAR RELIEF FUNDS. LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS. [From our own Parliamentary Beporter.] WELLINGTON, October 15. The question of local war relief funtis was raised in the House this afternoon by Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt). He said that certain trades unions had voted sums of money to be applied for the relief of local distress, but they found that they had no power to do so. He asked whether the Government would introduce a clause in the Wash-ing-up," Bill giving unions power to make contributions for the relief of distress, without paying them into the central fund. The Prime Minister (Eight Hon. W. F. Massey) said that the question was a very difficult one. It would not do to allow unions and local bodies to make levies which would practically mean the imposition of a special war tax on their members, and ratepayers respectively. To get over the difficulty he would include a clause in the Wash-ing-up .Bill, legalising contributions by local bodies and unions which had notified their intention to make them. The list of bodies would be included in a schedule, to the Bill. Mr Witty: Would it not be better to make the permission general? Mr Massey: -No; that would mean that local bodies would have the power to raise a special war tax. PATRIOTIC FUND. The following additional donations towards the Patriotic- Fund have been received: — .''"'. £ s. d. G. H. Judd .. .... 6 12 6 H. Heinisch 10 0 Master L. D. Avains .. 0 2 6 Anonymous 8 0 0 Sumner concert (Foley's Pictures) 113 Mrs M. Scott 10 0 0 Brookside patriotic concert 16 0 0 Anonymous 1.0 0 0 Total to date .. .'. £14,54.'5 12 .0 FOOD FOR BRITAIN AND BELGIUM FUND. WOMEN'S COMMITTEE. Gifts of clothing were received yesterday at the depot of the Women's

Committee, 139 Gloucester Street, from the following:—T. S. F., Mrs J.T. Matson, Mrs Mary Marsh (per Sister Edith), Mrs Hamilton Bond, Hotel Federal (per Mrs E. .Davies), T. G., Mrs Eoberts, B. G., A Friend (Templeton), Mrs Telford, Mrs A. G. Johnson, Mrs Bell, Miss Eileen Bonnington, Ponto and Toodle, Miss Medlicott, E. M. J., Edna, Miss Bowe, Mrs G. H. Cooper, Miss Gee, St. John Guild, G. Cox, Mrs L. Lane, St. Mary's Guild (Merivale), P. D. (Fitzgerald Street), Mrs Black, Anonymous, Mrs L. Bonnington, Mrs Young, Granny, A Friend, Mrs H. T. Luers, Mrs Armstrong, A Friend, Mrs J. Forest, Mrs Dalziel, Breeze's Boad (per Mrs . piakeway), Busybody, E.: M; L., Anonymous (Sumner), Anonymous, Mrs Gilbert, Anonymous, Mrs B. Brown, Anonymous, A Friend, Anonymous (Little Biver). Mrs M. Marsh has donated 5/- to the Blanket Fund. RANGIORA. The Bangiora Friendly Societies held a meeting last evening, Mr P. Hughes presiding, and resolved, mainly on account of the war, to abandon the annual excursion this, year .and to donate £5 from the funds (which stood at £l3 8/-) to the Fund for the Belief of the Poor of Great Britain and Belgium. WAIKARI. Yesterday the ladies of Waikari consigned 500 useful articles of apparel for the Poor of Great Britain, Ireland, a.nd Belgium Belief Fund. A further consignment is in preparation.* i The fund benefited to the extent of £l4 as the result of a. dance held at East Oxford on Wednesday. THE LIVERPOOL FUND. CHRISTCHURCH BRANCH. The Mayoress (Mrs Holland) has received the following donations to the Liverpool Fund:—Dunsandel (additional donation), per the Be v. J. Swanson Eeed, 10/-; sale of badges, per Val Fulford 3/3, per Jim Fulford 3/3, Mrs Holland has also received the following gifts in kind:—Mr J. C. Orbell, 1 Balaclava cap; by post (no name), 1 housewife; Mrs J.~M. Mitchell and friends, 11 Balaclava caps. QUEEN MARY'S FUND. The Mayoress (Mrs Holland) has received the following additional donations to the Queen Mary Fund:—Mrs Hazlett, 5/- for socks; Nurse Boon, 6 pairs socks; no name, 3 pairs socks; Mrs Dummond, Waimate, 4/- for socks or belts. LOWCLIFFE DISTRICT. The ladies of the Lowcliffe district have given socks to Queen Mary's Belief of Distress Fund, as follows: —One pair each: Miss M. Ford, Mrs Jewell, Mrs Laing, Mrs Bodgers, Miss Mclvor, Mrs West, Mrs Bichardson, Mrs Bay, Mrs Griff en, Mrs Gray, Miss Hawkin, Mrs Dolan, Mrs Muckle, Mrs Norrish, Miss T. Kirdy, Mrs Wells, Mrs Tait, Mrs H. George, Mrs Shaw/ Mrs J. McGuinness, Mr G. George, Miss F. Prendergast, Mrs Watson, and Miss Glynn. Two pairs each: Mr L. Cross, Mr F. Handley, Mrs G. Bich, Mrb Vernon, Mrs Nelson, Mrs Sargent, Miss Aitken, Mrs Nanson, Miss Bich (second contribution), Mrs McLauchlan, and Mrs T. McGuinness. Three pairs each: Mrs W. McKeague, Mrs Stevens, and Mrs Hawke. Four pairs: Mrs Maitland Bich. Six pairs: Mrs Studholme.