PATRIOTIC ZONE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5603, 9 April 1943, Page 3

PATRIOTIC ZONE

SEPARATION WANTED REQUEST TO MINISTER To a question by Mr G. Smith (Huntly) the chairman said there was no relation between the Red Cross and patriotic funds. The latter had not received any contribution from the Red Cross. Later Mr Caro said the subject had been discussed at a joint conference in Wellington three or four months ago, and finality had not been reached. CONSTITUTION NEEDED Objection was voiced regarding the delay in providing a constitution for the Patriotic Committee. It was explained that the administration in Wellington was composed at first of members of the Centenary Committee, with a provision that each zone should be presided over by the Mayor of the city. This was held to be undemocratic and unfair, and not conducive to harmony and enthusiasm. After some discussion, in which steps of rehabilitation were prominent, one member summed up the present situation with the phrase “It is the dear old game of pass-the-buck —that is what the committees are for.” It was stated that rehabilitation matters were by no means as far advanced as some committee men desired, and it appeared there was some suspicion that the Rehabilitation Division of the National Service Department and the Rehabilitation Beard were not in unity as to procedure. GOVERNMENT APPOINTEE Mr T. G. Reynolds, chairman of the Hamilton Rehabilitation Committee, said the commissioner, Mr -M. Moohan, had assured him that committees could be set up in each town, but as the Government-appoint-ed rehabilitation officer for the whole of the Waikato area was in Hamilton, .and was secretary of the local committee, it would seem that any committees set up in other Waikato towns must be able to act only in an advisory capacity. All files would be kept in Hamilton.

At the instance of Mr S. C. B. Macky (Waipa) the meeting resolved that it was desirable that a committee of local body representatives be set up as soon as possible to prepare for post-war work; that a district rehabilitation committe be set up to prepare a suitable constitution, and that the district technical committee be asked to prepare a plan for consideration by the Rehabilitation Committee.

It was apparent in correspondence and discussion at a meeting in Hamilton on Wednesday of the Waikato (E) Zone Patriotic Committee that matters as between the zone executive and the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council were not working harmoniously, and it was decided to seek again the creation of a separate administrative area comprising what is now Zone “E.” Discussion was taken in committee, following which it was decided to confirm the action of the chairman (Mr H. D. Caro) and the secretary (Mr W. L. Waddel) in respect of a recent meeting in Auckland and to approve their attitude in an endeavour to obtain separation from Auckland control. It was decided to ask the Minister of Internal Affairs to allow the formation of a separate zone, and that in the event of his refusal the committee would have no option but to publish the whole of the correspondence on the subject. TRANSFER OF TERRITORY Mr W. T. Eyre (Ngaruawahia) asked for an alteration in the allocation basis affecting Ngaruawahia, which he pointed out had fallen short of its quota last year. He thought the Huntly borough area and the Raglan county area should take over part of the Ngaruawahia district in the interests of better administration and that in doing so they should shoulder part of the debit shown from money-raising efforts last year. The committee agreed that boundary alteration could be made as between the areas affected, with consequent adjustment of their respective quotas.