NO JURISDICTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 22 March 1927, Page 3

NO JURISDICTION.

OYER PATRIOTIC FUND. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 21. An unusual case was heard, in the Magistrate’s Court before Mr E. 0. Cutten, S.M., in which a returned soldier named Arthur Stafford sc\ught to recover from Sir James Gunson (president) and T. B. Hay (secretary) of the Auckland Patriotic War Relief Association the sum of £SB 2s 6d. The clerk intimated that a hearing fee of 25s had to be paid, but plaintiff 6aid lie could not pay it until he'got bis pension. Plaintiff said be came ba.ck wounded from Gallipoli, and got a. military pension, but he bad been refused further assistance by the Patriotic) Association.

Mr Cutten: “Surely the Patriotic) Association has the right to administer the money it holds in trust?” Plaintiff: ‘.‘That money was raised for returned soldiers.” Mr Johnston said that Stafford returned to New Zealand seriously wounded. He had a military pension of £4 per month. In 1920 he went to England, and came back in 1925. From time toi time the Patriotic Association had supplied him w T ith small sums of money. Plaintiff was now r getting a military pension ■of■ £1 per week, and also an economic pension of 90s. He had asked lor his board to be paid, but the Association thought that a single man with £2 10s per wtipk should bo able to pay his own board. Plaintiff stated that £2 10s was not enough to live upon. _ “I am appealing for justice as a British-born subject.” Mr Cutten' said the Court had no jurisdiction as to how a Patriotic Association must administer funds under its control. He would, however, adjourn tho ease to enable plaintiff to pay tho hearing fee.