PATRIOTIC FUND.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1066, 12 July 1917, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUND.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING A meeting of the executive committee of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund was held yesterday afternoon, the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr 11. Holland) presiding. Apologies for absence were read from Colonel Chaffey and Messrs J. C. Pruib hoe, A. C. Maxwell, and W. Radcliffe. The Returned Soldiers' Association wrote, nominating Mr .1. Cox as their representative upon the executive, and the chairman extended a welcome to the new member. The chairman also extended a welcome to the new secretary, Mr W. A. Smith. The Munitions and Supplies Department wrote stating that it was provid-l nig work for returned soldiers in the i manufacture of pull-throughs. The Gisbome Patriotic, Society wrote conveying a resolution passed by that body,"recommending taxation instead of J further appeals to the public for contributions. Mr F. Horrell moved—"That the resolution be forwarded to the Advisory Board." He thought that the Gisbornc Society was right. Mr J. J. Dougall seconded Mr Horrell 's motion, and endorsed ins remarks. The motion was carried. Colonel Stewart wrote, enclosing a statement of accounts for the Canterbury Battalion Fund. It was decided to reply that the statement was generally satisfactory, but questioning one itc!!l - \ , ~ Mr Dougall said that he and Mr Tripp had been deputed to represent the matter of widowed mothers' allowances to the Minister, but he was afraid that the Minister was not very sympathetic, and that there would not be any enlargement of the allowances. At present, if a widowed mother was in receipt of an income of 7/0 per week, shedid not get the allowance, but if she was onlv getting 7/- per week she did. Mr Dougall reported also on the Ad visory Board's decision ou the question of the domiciling qualification. The report was adopted, and it was decided to forward the board's decision as a remit from the Canterbury Society. The chairman mentioned the case of •i man who had spent fourteen months

in camp, and was now discharged"as unfit, and would receive nothing. Several similar cases were mentioned, and it was decided to make representations to the Defence Department. Air E. Nordon reported that the special committee set up to consider the adequacy of the fund was not yet ready to reportMr J. J. Dougall was reappointed as the Canterbury representative on the Advisory Board. Messrs J. J. Dougall and C. J. R. Williams were appointed delegates to the annual conference of patriotic societies. The sub-committee set up to deal with the question of the secretaryship, offices, and staff reported that applications had been invited at a salary of £350 per year. Fifty-three applications had been received, and Mr William Archibald Smith, assistant accountant at the Kaiapoi Woollen Company's head office, had been appointed. It was recommended that the present secretary be retained during the month of July. Offices had been secured at 87 Worcester Street, at a rental of £.]■>() per annum.—The report was adopted. A committee consisting of Messrs Dougall, Williams, and Wanklyn was appointed to draw up an address to be presented to the retiring secretary at Ihe next meeting.