PATRIOTIC FUND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12718, 13 August 1919, Page 5

PATRIOTIC FUND.

QUESTION qF ADEQUACY. AX INFORMATIVE REPORT. At a meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Patriotic Fuad to-day the Adequacy of the Bund Coiumittco submitted an infonnalive report on the question of tlio adequacy of the money non- in the Patriotic Fund to meet all legitimate claims likely to be made on the tund, and as to l/!io advisability or otherwise of continuing the existing system of making grants towards “ repatriation.’ ’

The committee stated that it had carefully considered the matter (using as a foundation the detailed ligure.s prepared two years ago, and revising the same in tho light, of tho experience gained since then) and now had Vo report

PERMANENT PENSION CASES

In June, 1917, we estimated that we might he called upon 10 provide assistance. additional to tho Government pensions, for 135 cases for an average period ot ten years, and for this it was thought necessary to allocate the sum of £2i,135. Our inquiries indicate that it is unlikely that there will be sq many such seriously permanently disabled men to provide for, and wo consider that if provision be made for seventy such cases our estimate will bo on the sale side. To provide 15s per ween for seventy cases for an average twelve years will require £35.) per case, or £24,892, and wo have therefore allocated the sum of £25,000 for tins purpose. At this stage tho question of the necessity or otherwise tor aiq institution for the accommodation of totally disabled soldiers naturally arose. ft is obvious that if the money is allocated for subsidising the pensions of such cases, it will not bo aval.able, nor will at lie wanted, for the establishment of such an institution. In view of the liberal Government pensions to totally disable dm on, such an institution should he practically selfsupporting when established." Wo therefore consider that this amount of £25,000 should include the £IO.OOO set aside h.v special resolutions for the establishment of such an institution. TEMPOR ARY ASSISTANCE. In onr report of June, 1917, we allowed £23,G-1() for an estimated 3940 , cases among soldiers still to returnOur later experience indicates that, either owing to the more liberal policy ol tlie fund, or the more extensive spreading of the tidings of the operations of the fund, the proportion of men asking ior assistance is now much greater than formerly. "We therefore considered it wise to assume the most unfavourable conditions, and to allow for assistance to 80 per cent of those n™«& relllrn > nn<l have allocated £io.ooo under this head. ASSISTANCE TO RECURRING CASES. There are many cases of men apparently re-established in health who are likely to again break down and require assistance from the fund. Sufficient time has not passed to allow of any reliable estimate being made as to these numbers, but we have considered that a sum of £15,000 is a liberal amount to allow lor this contingency. SUPPLEMENTARY PENSIONS. Onr experience during the last two yoiirs points to the conclusion that the claims on account of dependents to returned soldiers will be very slight, and ivo have estimated that 25 oases requiring assistance of 10s per week for an average period of ten years is a fair provision, and will absorb about £5000.' DEPENDENTS OP MEN ON ACTIVE SERVICE. With the information now available this requirement can bo assessed, with some approach to accuracy, and we have considered that £2500 is a sufficient allowance. GENERALWo consider that an allocation of —GuOO will be sufficient for administration expenses. Vie arc now in a position to assess I tho amount necessary for grants to other societies fairly" closely and consider that £IOOO is sufficient. Although wo consider that we have made ample provision for tho various expenditure which wo may he called upon to hear, we think it prudent to make some allowance for unforeseen contingencies, and. propose to allocate £SOOO under this heading. SUMMARY. Permanent pension crbob . . .25 000 Temporary assistance to soldiers still ’ to return 20,000 temporary assistance to soldiers—-re-curring cases 15,000 Supplementary pensions to dependents of deceased soldiers ... 5 000 Dependents of men still on active service 2i500 Administration expenses . . . 6500 Grants to other societies , . . i'nm Contingencies ..... s'ooo £BO,OOO Commenting on the above figures the cmnm™ stated : —An amount- of ! £BO OCO is required to meet the claims ! on the lund, with regard to which there i can bo no difference of opinion, leaving £29,000, with its proportion of the interest earnings, and any other increments accruing to the fund, available lor what may be described as “repatriM a 9 u grants. ’I here is room for some difference of opinion as to whether the balance of £29,000 available for such “ repatriation “ grants is sufficient to justify the executive in continuing its present policy, hut ytmr committeodeels that it would be unfair to those men now returning to make anv drastic, change j n policy at this stage, and therefore recommends that the present j policy of making grants be continued subject to the following conditions:— (1) That the maximum grant be £l5O and that the various repatriation committees be urged to keep the average grantq below £IOO per man. (2) That no application for a repatriation grant or loan be entertained six months after the applicant has been discharged, or in the case of men a - ready .discharged no application shall be considered six months after May 31, 1919, except in the cases of sick or wtmnded men now in hospital. With regard to Air Wanldyn's letter, which was referred at the June meeting to the committee for consideration, we have to say that any inferences to be drawn from that letter would bo on the assumption that the rate of expenditure for the month of May would be Continued for twelve, months or more and that, as in another three or four months the last man will arrive in New Zealand, when tho expenditure must naturally he reduced, we consider Unit the basis of Air AVanklvn’s argument is unsound and that it does not require further answer, beyond what is - contained above.