The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING. SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1915. A TARANAKI FUND.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144710, 19 June 1915, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING. SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1915. A TARANAKI FUND.

Some discussion took place af a meeting’ .of the Taranaki provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on Thursday on the question of the relief of wounded soldiers ami dependents, and eventually it was decided to postpone further consideration for a month, notice of motion being’ given that in the event of a Taranaki fund' being formed (he moneys now in the hands of the executive he put into the fund. It was mentioned that there was a probability ot a Taranaki conference being held to consider the administratioii-of the fund. This is a step in tho right direction, because under present conditions, with a number of local committees administering their own funds, there is likely to be confusion, with tlie possibility of overlapping on the one hand nr neglect on the other. AVF have bold that there should bo a central-or-ganisation in Wellington with local advisory committees, and recent happenings confirm ns in this belief. Tlie New Plymouth Committee has lately received a communication from Wellington to the effect that relief is sorely needed for the dependents of two wounded reservists from ihe Tangitu settlement, and it has taken steps to ascertain the facts with the idea of giving some relief if it is needed. Rut Tangitu is not in the, district from which tlie New Plymouth fund has been subscribed, and there are probably other committees upon which the claims are greater, or at least as great. The local committee, however, looked at the matter in this light, that if the question was referred hack to Wellington with a disclaimer of responsibility the dependents of the men might suffer needless hardship and distress while it was being ascertained to what committee’s district- they propcrly belonged. Therefore immediate relief was authorised it the facts were found' to be as reported. But there seems to he a disposition in some of ihe larger and wealthier centres to keep.their own funds for their own men, an attitude whose selfishness is so obvious that it scarcely needs exposing. This may be done, however, in a few words by comparing, say, the Feathorsion and Clifton counties, though wo do not mean to suggest that the Wairarapa is one of the selfish districts. The Featherston district contains some very wealthy men, as is shown by their being able to realise over £7OOO by the salo of a flag at a concert at Greytown, a sum greater than tho iof,tiers of the Clifton County could be expected to subscribe in a twelve-month, for they aro mostly smalt struggling bush settlers. Yet the Clifton County has perhaps contributed as many men as ihe Featherston County, and further, it: is probable that the average man enlisting from the Clifton County ■ is financially much worse off than the man from the Featherston County. It may be taken as certain that tlie poorer districts have contributed more men than tho wealthier, and wc hold that such relief- as may be

needed should he a national not a local responsibility. However, since-there seems to be small prospect; of the funds being nationalised, we welcome tire suggestion item Hawcra that Taranaki unite in tliis matter. Thai; would be much better than each county acting independently. Of the last lot of men who went away from here about half were from the Taranaki County and half from the Clifton County, and if the local system of relief is to he adopted the Clifton County may find itself with a greater call upon weaker resources than in the case of ihe Taranaki County. That should not be ; the stronger should help the weaker; and if we cannot have a united Hew Zealand to look upon every man who goes to the front as a New Zealander with a claim upon ilie .whole Dominion if he, returns incapacitated from earning a living, then let us have a nailed Taranaki and treat every man going’ irom the province alike, whether he is from New Plymouth or I'ruti, from Hawera nr Whangamomona. A conference may help to bring this about.