KING GEORGE'S FUND FOR SAILORS.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14667, 22 March 1918, Page 3

KING GEORGE'S FUND FOR SAILORS.

FIRST DISTRIBUTION OF £55,00(

Kin/ r^^ "f ? e General Coun«l c pkS at *? -? Un£ for &ailors to° Pf, c at Innity House, London o Wednesday, December 19th Captain A. W. Clarke, the depU chairman prided in the ahsenee M.K.U. the Duke of Gonnaught th chairman of the Council ' T^tJ ettT nas rea4 from H.R.H. th Duke of Connaught, conveying hi great regret at being unable to itteiK ™LT fn3 and cx Pres^ng his ap pi oval of the, grants to the'inaria benevolent mstitutions which the Dis tribufoon Committee were recommend mg to the General Council for the! sanction. Captain Clarke stated that tie fun< l™d now reached a total of £263,000 IHis, showed the generous manner ii which tie .King's-Ptmd had been sup ported by the country at large, aiul-'lu hoped that it only constituted-a tithi of the money that would be fortlcom .ing to enable the fund to carry ov the work for which it had been callec into existence. In reference to the first distribution of the fund. Captain Clarke said'hi wished to make it clear that th< allocation now being made by Kins George's Fund to meet the urgen: needs of the marine benevolent institu tions was not to be taken as establish ing the claims of the participating chanties udoii any subsequent distri bu.tions. Conversely, societies whicl were not now receiving grants shotilc not assume that they would not reeeivt consideration and support in the future. Due notice would be given in the press and opportunities, would be afforded tc apply.for giants at future distributurns1. !. The main reason which had led the Council to make this large early distribution was due to the exceptional ■'circumstances arising out of the war, .and to the principle of immediate benefit to seamen, which was, and woujd .'remain, one of the main features of the policy of the King's Fund. A letter of thanks had been sent tc the General Council of King Edward's Hospital Fund, for the kind welcome they had given to King- George's Fund for Sailors and for their 'generous offer of advice and assistance, which would be most welcome to this fund. The thanks of the Council were d\.\ to Lord Burnham and the "Daily Telegraph" for the appeal made in the widely read columns of that paper, which Jiad helped the Council in making this Christmas donation to the sailors, their widows and orpans. Sir Acton Blake, chairman of the Distribution Committee, said he felt sure the general public would appreciate the fact that the best possible u,se was being made of the money so generously subscribed, for. the'benefit of the sailors of all ranks, their widows and ohpharis. especial consideration had been given to work in connection with the war. as the circumstances at the present'time demanded a large sum of money being placed at the disposal of those "institutions which were endeavouring to meet the needs of the moment. In dealing with special work, the Distribution Committee had become aware that individual cases of distress had arisen amongst naval men, their widows and dependents. They, therefore, had approached Admiral Halsey, President of the Grand; Fleet Fund, with a view to that body receiving a grant from King George's Fund for the express purpose of enabling men of the Royal Navy, their widows and dependents being relieved in cases of immediate distress arising from disablement or death. He could not emphasise too strongly the urgent need there was for tnis work of special temporary relief, and the Grand Fleet Fund 'seemed to provide an adequate means for the administration of a grant. He,, therefore, proposed that the General Council should allocate the sum of £5,000 to the Grand Fleet Fu,nd. This proposal vvas carried tmanimouslv.

Tlie General Council unanimously ap-' proved of the distribution of £55,000 •to 58 marine benevolent institutions, j Admiral Inglefield, in proposing a vote of thanks to tte deputy chairman, i Captain A. W. Clarke,, said : that -he i wished to congratulate him on the ad- j mirable progress the fund had made in so short, a time. SpeaKing on beiialf of tlie'Royal Navy, he (Admiral inglefield) -was certain that the establish-ment-of King George's Fund-.for Sailors would prove of immense value to the personnel of the Senior. Service. He.knew that a great deal of hardship was bound to ,occur, owing to the strain and stress of the present war, but as i a member of the Distribution Committee he knew personally that the fund, :in granting prompt and substantial aid [to many institutions and funds whicb deal specially with the Royal Navy,' I would enable them to come to the im- ' niediate assistance of those men of the Fleet who from wounds .or sickness required relief, and also to the aid of their widows and orphans. Lord Somerleyton. seconded the vote of thanks and congratulated Captain Clarke.on having secured the services of such able and distinguished men as t!;os© v;ho formed the Coi.ncil of King George's Fund "and its various committees. He said that he knew the value I King George's Fund would be to the Marine Benevolent Institutions, as he had been afforded an opportunity of looking into the work that had been done since the inauguration of the Fund in July of this year. He could testify to. the amount of useful work, that Tiad already been accomplished. TTie deputy-chairman had alluded to the speech of the speavkpr "at the distribution meeting of King Edward's Hospital Fi.nd. He could assure the Council that the words used by the speaker in reference to King George's Fund met with the full sympathy and I approval of the council of that body. [ The vote was unanimously accorded.