WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16504, 4 August 1919, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

RETURNED SOLDIERS. AND PATRIOTIC FUNDS. BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, August 2. A revival in Auckland of the movement for the entry of the Returned Soldiers’ Association into politics does not appear to have roused any response in this centre, which lias been in sympathy with the headquarters attitude of maintaining neutrality. The executive council of the association has been sitting for the last-two or three (lays. It has as yet made no formal public announcement on the political issue, but a statement by the president (Dr. Boxer) at a deputation to Cabinet Ministers may he taken as significant. Dr. Boxer said that the association was a non-political body and was carrying out the policy of the Christchurch Conference in this respect.

Sir James Allen commended the wisdom of the association’s attitude and at the same time expressed the opinion, which will doubtless be endorsed in every quarter, that returned soldiers who felt they could offer their services for Parliament and were returned by flic electors would be welcomed in the work of governing tho country. Some important statements were made by the Hon. G. AV. Russell in reply to the returned soldiers’ request for a commission of inquiry regarding patriotic funds. Air. Seymour, general secretary of the association, said that on 6 and three-quarter million pounds had accrued to patriotic funds and there was a vagueness about statements as to the uses to which the money would he put. It was desirable that the rumours should he stopped by the appointment of a commission. The result of inquiries by returned soldiers into some of the amounts was unsatisfactory, showing further need for a commission.

Mr. Russell said that Cabinet had decided that it did not at present see any necessity for a Royal Commission to inquire into patriotic funds. Such a commission if sot up would have a huge task which would, take two or three years if the whole of the patriotic funds of tho Dominion were to be inquired into. Tho Government desirednot to seize the funds as had been alleged, but only to sec that they were used according to law, for the purpose for which they were raised. Within the last few days the executive of a powerful organisation had protested to the Acting-Prime -Minister against the way in which the War Funds Office was pursuing its inquiries regarding a certain balance of expenditure. This the, organisation resented and so far the Funds Office was between two fircs 6 with the returned soldiers asking for an inquiry and this powerful organisation resenting it. A letter wa# being sent in reply that the inquiries would bo pursued. (Applause.) Witli regard to tho grants for returned soldiers’ clubs, any action taken was under advice from the Solicitor-General, and could nob be altered without validating legislation. -Mr. Russell stated that the Government had no power to compel societies to use the funds for the purpose for which they wore raised; it could only see that they were not used for other purposes. The difficulty was to draw the line where tho Government's responsibility ended and that of patriotic societies began. He suggested that the definition of this responsibility could best bo undertaken by Parliament, if tiio people gave the load as to their desires. He instanced some cases Jn which patriotic societies had refused to grant assistance, which had therefore been given from'funds in tho War Funds Office. AN UNEXPLAINED EXPLOSION. Residents of Wellington were startled yesterdhy afternoon by the roar and rumble of a heavy explosion. This rumbling report was heard at stations along the coast well away from Wellington, and it is said that buildings wove shaken at Terawhiti. The most generally accepted theory is that a stray German mine had drifted on to the rocks at some point between the heads and Terawhiti and exploded, but against this are statements that more than one explosion occurred. Inquiries made by the police and other authorities have failed 'to throw any light on the mystery, for reports so far received state that there are no signs such as dead fish being washed ashore, or debris thrown about of any heavy explosion along tho coast, within reasonable distance. The Wellington police headquarters has been advised that members of a whaling party stationed at Tc Awaiti, about 13 miles northcast of Picton, heard an explosion which they described as very heavy about half-past two and consideredthat tho sound came from a point in Cook Strait somewhat to tho northeast of Tory Channel. This locality was recently swept- by the minosweonevs and reported clear, so that it would ho strange if tho explosion was duo to a mine