PATRIOTIC FUND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11594, 12 January 1916, Page 3

PATRIOTIC FUND.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE,

The executive or' the Canterbury Patriotic Fund met to-day, tiie Mayor (Mr H. Holland) presiding. In reply to tuo appeal for a grant from its donation of £IU,UOQ, the Bank of New Zealand wrote stating that itwas qui to impracticable to divert any of the donation from Hie national fund. Mr E. Nordon moved that £250 should; be sent to Lord PJunket, president of the War Contingents Association, for helping New Zea landers at Home. He stated that 8600 wounded. New Zeafanders were in England, and the association provided the "men with tobacco, shaving material and so on. where necessary, and' he had newspaper and 1 , other reports from London that it was in need of funds. The money would be voted from the Wounded Soldiers Fund.

rhe_ Mayor said' that the motion was out of order without notice, as it had been dealt with at the previous meeting and rejected on the explicit statement of the Minister of Dofence that the money was not needed. , On the motion of Mi H. B. Sorensen, it was agreed to suspend the standing orators to allow the motion to be moved,. Mr A. H. Tmnhull quoted a letter from the matron of a Cairo hospital that a small fund was urgently needed to provide comforts for'the men. He was prepared if Mr Norton's motion was, carried', to move a vote of £250 tor Egvpt.

_ The Mayor, speaking to the suggestion that the grant should be limited to Canterbury men, said that he was in favour of united action, as it would be impossible \o single out the Canterbury men. As for the other matter, it was being <l*ilt with by the Red Cross Association.

Mr J. J. Dougall supported the motion, remarking that if the money went through tho Government it would, be earmarked only for convalescent men. ( Mr Sorensen, in urging that the Government should' not be allowed to handle the money, said that the ..Government had done something recently which,.if repeated, would "wreck the whole show.' 1 The motion was earned.

A sum of £250 was voted for distribution in extra comforts for Canterbury men in hospitals in Egypt. The nomination of Mr G. L. Rutherford for the Cheviot county was receiv ed, in place of Mr T. Stevenson. Messrs E. R. Webb, George Rutherford (Hawarden), T. E. Pearson and Berry were added to the executive.

The Kaiapoi Patriotic Committee wrote offering its funds in hand (£3400! and suggesting an amalgamation. It was resolved that Mr J. H. Blackwell should represent Kaiapoi. A letter was read from the Defence authorities stating that where a man refused to make any provision for de pendents ho was discharged. The Auckland committee wrote suggesting a conference in Wellington to arrive at some uniformity of practice.

The suggestion was agreed to, provided tho conference embraced all funds.

A suggestion was.also received from the Minister'of Internal Affairs tfaat he should call a conference of the patriotic bodies.

Mr (~ J. Williams said that the Ministers suggestions for discussion at the conference covered matters that the committee had already rejected and it seemed like an attempt to draw the committee in.

, T Mr , A - H ■ Tu;-nbull said that the Minister wanted to have his finder in wJ , P m ■ Snd + th ? committee should haAe nothing to do with his conferenoe.

tW *£* resolvo ?> i"f°rm the Minister SfnmSer; XeCUtIVO W " dea *'« ***