PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 197, 20 August 1931, Page 11

PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Allotments for Relief Schemes. The executive of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund met yesterday afternoon; present: Messrs J. J. Dougall (in the chair), W. E. Leadley, G. A. Hayden, E. F. Willcox, F. M. Warren, G. Hight, A. M. Carpenter and the Rev F. T. Read. The financial statement showed that In the period from May 1 to June 30, the receipts had amounted to £12J77 3s 2d, and the payments to £1785 15s 3d. The credit balance was C2G.14 4 10s lid. The Finance Committee submitted a report on the financial condition of the fund. The report stated that, accepting as a basis the rate of expenditure during the past three years, the minimum life of the fund would be ten years. It was recommended that the present policy governing the granting of relief be adhered to, but that the attention of committees granting relief be directed to the necessity of closely scrutinising all cases where liberal pensions were being received by claimants. Subject to a 10 per cent reduction in staff salaries taking effect from July 1, the committee recommended that the secretary's term be renewed for a period of two years. With a view to reducing administrative work and expenses, it was recommended that the number of members cf the executive and the committees be reduced by eliminating the names of thos members who had not attended meetings during the past twelve months. The report was adopted. The secretary’s report stated that 422 cases had been dealt with in June and 488 in July. In reply to a communication from the committee suggesting that the age qualification for old age pensions should be reduced in the ense of men suffering from war disabilities, the Prime Minister wrote stating that the representations had been noted for consideration by the Government. The secretary reported that letters had been received from the National War Funds Council forwarding two amounts of £250. Two amounts cf £240 had been handed over to the Returned Soldiers’ Association, with a suggestion that it be used for providing an extra day’s work a week for married men and an extra day a fortnight for single men.