PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 June 1935, Page 5

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

GOVERNMENT POOLING OPPOSED. EX-SERVICEMEN’S CONFERENCE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night Suggestions that the Government should be asked to pool all patriotic funds collected during the Great War came before the annual conference of the New Zealand P.etumed Soldiers’ Association to-day, but it received a mixed reception and a majority declared in favour of the local societies remaining. A motion of appreciation’of the work done by the societies was carried. Widening of the scope of the Trentham Scholarship was asked for and a motion was carried asking for the inclusion of children born up to July 1, 1921, instead of July 1, 1920. It was agreed that the Minister of Education should.be asked to reinstate in approved cases the privilege previously given to returned soldiers of receiving vocational training at technical schools.

It was decided to ask the Government to make full use of the home established at Auckland for war veterans, it being ’regarded as a national institution. Opposition to returned soldiers who are unemployed being forced to go into camps was expressed, but it was state! that men in camps in the Wellington district were Better off than single men unemployed, in the city. It was agreed that the Government should be asked not to compel returned men to go into camps and the opinion was expressed that more camps should be provided for those who wanted the security of camp life. Headquarters was instructed to ask the Canteen Funds Board for £25,000 and the National War Funds Council for . £20,000 for the relief, of distressed and unemployed ex-soldiers during the coming year. A remit asking for sustenance for exservicemen over 50 years of age at a rate they would receive if engaged on relief work was carried.