GRANTS TO SOLDERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1923, Page 6

GRANTS TO SOLDERS.

THE TARANAKI SCHEME. STRONG OBJECTION TO IT. A CRISIS REACHED. The Taranaki Provincial War Relief Association has reached a crisis in its affairs, the War Funds Council having strenuously objected to their permanently disabled soldiers’ scheme, which has been in operation for about fourteen months. The objection to the scheme is that the money is being paid out in lump sums and that the payments will absorb the whole of the association’s funds. The association is considerably agitated over the awkward position they have been placed in. Since the scheme has been in operation for so long amounts have been paid out to a large number of men, while if the scheme is now terminated, later permanently disabled applicants, who are probably equally deserving, will not be able to receive anything from the fund.

A special meeting of <the association was held at Stratford yesterday to consider the position and discuss the future policy. Mr. W. P. Kirkwood presided, and other members present were: Messrs. E. IT. Young, G. W. Taylor, F. W. Atkinson and W. J. Chaney.

The chairman reported on the proceedings at thei recent meeting of the Advisory Board and the War Funds Council in Wellington, at which the Taranaki Association's P.D.S. Scheme was condemned. He said the council favored the balance of the funds being kept for necessitous cases only. They had exhausted practically all constitutional means at their disposal to retain their right to carry out the P.D.S. scheme, and now something would have to be done to decide on the future policy. The association had been invited to state a case for the Supreme Court, but they could not afford to dissipate their funds on law costs.

He said it was not the association’s intention in the first place to pay out the whole of their funds on the P.D.S. scheme, hut £15.000 had boon earmarked for this purpose. At the time they had no data to show what amount was necessary, and what data they had been able to obtain from the Government departments was of little value. X\ hen it was found that £15.000 was insufficient £30.000 had been allocated to the scheme. It had been stated in Wellington that it was the intention of the association to disburse all their funds on the P.D.S. scheme to get rid of their obligations, but this was not so. Their desire was to do the best possible for the Taranaki returned men. They had now come to the position that they would have to decide whether they would do as the Advisory Board or the War Funds Council desired, or hand over their funds to the administration of the council. Mr. Atkinson said it was very hard if one man got full payment under the scheme and a later case got nothing, because it had been delayed for further medical consideration, or for some other reason beyond the control of the applicant. He* was in favor of handing over the funds to the council for administra-

Mr. Chaney was in favor of handing the funds over to the War Funds Council and giving them the responsibility. Mr. Kirkwood said that if the funds were handed over it was certain the F.D.S. scheme would not be carried on. Mr. Young said the only course left was to hand over the funds to some other body that would administer them as was desired.

Mr. Kirkwood said it had been suggested that the association was trying to get rid of its funds and to throw the Taranaki men on’ the War Funds Council. This was not so. If any men did have to go to the council for assistance they were entitled to it. because there was an amount of £210.000, raised in Taranaki for the Red Cross and other purposes yet remaining to he disbursed. No other province in New Zeland contributed so liberally to this fund as Taranaki did. After some further discussion the matter was left over to a latter date, and a policy will probably be settled at the annual meeting on a date to be arranged. A statement submitted by the secretary showed that £30.937 8s 7d had been paid out under the scheme from its inception to the end of December. One hundred and eighty-one cases 20 to 100 per cent, had been finalised and partial payments to the extent of £3508 14s Sd had been made. Deducting £1998 14s 6d for cases under 40 per cent, the balance due on cases 40 per cent, and over was £8822 17s. Of the original applications only 20 cases remained to be finalised. Forty-eight late applications had 'been received and listed, and further action had been deferred until all original applications had been finalised.

TARANAKI’S “LUMP SUMS.” HEATED DISCUSSION AT ADVISORY BOARD’S MEETING DISAPPROVAL OF SYSTEM. A discussion took place at Friday s meeting of the Advisory Board of the War Relief Association in Wellington, in connection with the methods adopted in the Taranaki district of dispensing relief to returned soldiers (says the Times). The hon. secretary reported that as a 'means of helping the returned disabled soldier, the Taranaki association had adopted a system of lump sum grants to the men, according to their respective disability. In this manner the whole of its funds had been distributed, except £ll,OOO, which was still in hand. The War Funds Office disapproves of a further distribution of the funds on the basis adopted by the Taranaki association. Representations had been made by the returned men to the Prime Minister, urging the division of the balance of the fund. The association, too, wished to pursue this policy; but the War Funds Office considered that the balance of the fund should be used only for necessitous cases, and a deadlock appeared to have been reached.

Whilst it Was not one of the functions of the advisory board to interfere with the administration of affiliated societies, it might wish, for the guidance of the Govern ment and the returned men, and also having regard for the proper administration of patriotic funds, to express its views as to what should be done in the present position qi the fund. The board rawmuiend

cither of the following courses: (1) That the Taranaki association be allowed to complete its scheme of division; (2) that the balance of the fund should be used for necessitous cases only; (3) that the amount be handed over the War Funds Council, which would then take over the responsibility for Taranaki men. £62,520 REDUCED TO £9OOO. A somewhat heated discussion followed. Replying to questions, Mr. Kirkwood said that when the Taranaki association commenced this system of grants, it had £62,500 in hand, and it now had £9OOO. The association desired to make grants totalling £2OOO, leaving some £7OOO in hand. Messrs. Larner, Farrant and Dougall expressed entire disapproval of the scheme. Tt was urged that the Taranaki funds were already insufficient for the district, and that the funds should be reserved for disabled and necessitous cases, and that it should not be granted in lump sums. Mr. Kirkwood contended that not one man who had been given a lump sum had dissipated it. Mr. Larner: Then the Taranaki men must be very different from other men. Mr. Farrant said that if Taranaki did not conserve its funds, it would he very unfair to other districts where Taranaki men had settled, as those districts would have to look after them. Mr. Dougall moved, and Mr. Williams seconded: “That the balance of the Taranaki fund should be used for necessitous disabled cases only.” Mr. Lamer moved, and ?Jr. Farrant seconded, the amendment: ‘‘That it be suggestfnl that the Taranaki funds be put in the hands of the War Funds Council.” Mr. Kirkwood claimed that the cost of the administration of the Taranaki fund was the lowest in the Dominion. Mr. Larner: L should think it would be. Tt is very easy to hand the money over the counter. Mr. Dougall held that the amendment was too drastic. The aim of the board should be to secure unity. Auckland, in the past, had been the greatest barrier against unity, he remarked. (Laughter). Mr. Darner denied this. Auckland, he maintained, had always stood for unity. A member: For itself. (Laughter.) Mr. Larner: No; for the whole Dominion. (Laughter.) Auckland had on one occasion moved a resolution in favor of unitv, and could not get’a seconder. On the suggestion of the chairman, the board, in *tho first place, reaffirmed its resolution disapproving the Taranaki scheme. Only four members voted for the amendment, and Mr. Larner’s motion was carried, nem con. Mr. Kirkwood wished it to be noted that he had not voted either way.