EMPIRE DEFENCE FUND.

Waipa Post, Volume VII, Issue 340, 14 August 1914, Page 4

EMPIRE DEFENCE FUND.

MEETING AT TE AWAMUTU.

CITIZENS’ READY RESPONSE.

A very representative and enthusiastic meeting of citizens of this district was held at the Te Awamutu Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon for the purpose of appointing a citizens’ committee to work in the interests of the citizens’ defence fund and to cooperate with the defence authorities.

Mr A. S. Wallace, chairman of the Town Board, presided, and fully explained the purpose for which the meeting had been called.

Mr J. A. Young, M.P., for the district, wrote as follows under date August loth; —“The first duty of every patriotic citizen is to show goodwill towards and help in every possible way our Governments (imperial and local) to overcome the nation’s enemies. At this supreme crisis let those who will, give what they can afford. With some it may be their services for defence, others horses, farm waggons (500 are needed by the defence authorities to be sent away immediately), harness, saddles, fodder or cash. I suggest you .o-operate with local defence authorities for information respecting horses, also local officers of Agricultural Department. Hacks and light draughts for artillery and transport waggons wil) he specially needed. I would further suggest, you set up a local patriotic committee to locally organise a fund, and collect any data respecting available horses of a suitable character which may be in your district, and could be purchased by the Government at reasonable prices if wanted. Such a committee could render other useful service by assisting the Defence Authorities and the Government to expedite the local organisation and equipment of- whatever business th mo - in hand in connec ‘a; - • despatch of

the ov . ; • id-onary contingent-- . - ui; this, well, I think '1 c Awamutu will have done its part.” «• COMMITTEE APPOINTED. Rev. F. W, Clarke, after emphasising tihe importance of the situation and the need of action on thy part of the citizens, moved that & Citizens’ Patriotic Committee be set up in terms indicated. In proposing the resolution, \ which was subsequently seconded by Mr Hamilton Alien, /he stated that the clergy had .convened a meeting of ladies 1 who would work unitedly with the public meeting and strive to further the interests of any movement decided upon. (Applause),

Nominations were called for and the following committee set up The ; members of the Te Awamutu Town Board,, and of the Raffgiaohia Road Board, council of the Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce, the clergy, Te Awamutu members of medical and legal professions, Messrs H. Lord, W. Morrison, C, Bowden, F. D. Wood, G. W. Richards, J. G. Elmsly, Storey, F. Quin, Hamilton' Allen, J. H, Elliott, G. M. A. Ahier, and K. C. Rickit.

Mr D. Bockett was appointed secretary, and Messrs D. Bockett and C. Bo'"den joint treasurers. TO f OTR; BUTTONS.

Th” c ■ n invited contributions, and those present were not slow to respond. Ere the meeting closed, half an hour later, the list was but a little short of £4OO in cash contributions, in addition to which much valuable material had been donated. Donations have since been reaching tire treasurers, the list of contributions at 10 a.m. to-day being-

E. Potts, horse valued at £22 10s C. By grave, 1 ton chaff J. Taylor, 1 ton chaff C. Battson, 1 ton chaff J. G. Elmsly, horse valued at £l7 R. Bourne, 1 ton chaff and 1 ton potatoes • , S. Standen, horse valued at £lO House and Daking, Ltd., value £65 G. Spinley and Co., spring troop waggon valued at £22 10s

THE LIVERPOOL FUND. Her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool is organising the ladies of the country in order that they may provide certain articles, of clothing for the forces. THE DEFENCE FUND. * The following extract from a circular extract Issued by the Minister for Defence (Hon. J. Allen) shows briefly by what means this fund is constituted and administered: — 1. Into this fund will be paid all money, contributions fiom local authorities, companies, or individuals, whether for purchase of horses or other material required for the expeditionary force.. 2. Contributors are invited to pay their A any bank in the Dominion* the . bankshaving agreed to remit £ to the Public Account free of exchange. Bank receipts should be sent.tothe PaymasterGeneral, Wellington, with a list of the subscribers. If the contributor specifies the object for which he makes his donation, then the amount will be credited to a special count —e.g., purchase of horses," or purchase of material, or purchase of personal equipment for the men (blankets, uniforms, boots, etc.) no such indication is given, the PaymasterGeneral will either credit the contribution to a general account or to one of the abovementioned accounts, as he thinks fit.

In addition to the fund proper contributions to form part of the expeditionary force equipment may be made, comprising horses, saddlery, forage, food, motorcars, motor cycles, etc. THE CLASS OF HORSE. For mounted rifles the height must be 14.3 to 15.2. The age is from rising five years to seven, and the beasts must be thoroughly sound.

For the artillery good, sound, half to three-quarter draughts, the height of which must be 15.1 to 15.3; age rising five to seven years.

Provision is made for slight variation in regard to the heights and ages. In the matter of colours greys, duns, or light chestnuts are of no service value.

£ s. D. Wra. Taylor 50 0 0 Dr Crosby 20 0 0 F. Quin 20 0 0 A. S. Wallace 20 0 0 G. W. Richards 20 0 0 C. J. Storey 20 0 0 Dr Reekie 10 0 0 J. H. Elliott 10 0 0 H.Y. Collins 10 0 0 James McGovern 10 0 0 J. Middlebrook 10 0 0 J. B. Teasdale 10 0 0 R. Chilcott 10 0 0 P. Crago ... 10 0 0 C. T. Rickit and Sons 10 0 0 Mrs C. T. Rickit 10 0 0 Hamilton Allen 10 0 0 G. M. A. Ahier 10 0 0 R. J. Ross... . 10 0 0 W.J. Thompson & Son 10 0 0 W. H. Mandeno 10 0 0 A. Young... 10 0 0 C. M. Alexander 10 0 0 Frank Potts 10 0 0 T. G. Martin 10 0 0 Dr Henderson 10 0 0 E. A. Cox... 10 0 0 H. Dunkley 5 5 0 Lawson, Swain, and Walker, Ltd. 5 5 0 Joe Storey 5 5 0 C. Bowden 5 5 0 D. Bockett 5 5 0

North Estate 5 5 0 Father Lynch , 5 ■; 0 H. Weal ... 5 5 0 E. Potts ... 5 5 0 W. Jeffery 5 5 0 J. Keam ... 5 0 0 Sutherland Bros. 5 0 0 Te Awa. Boy Scouts... 5 0 0 Fred Gibson 5 0 0 Jno. H. Mandeno 4 0 0 Allan Graham 3 3 0 Commercial Travellers (per Geo. Ahier) ... 3 3 0 Britisher ... 3 0 0 Rev. D. J. Shaw 2 2 0 A. J. Bray 2 2 0 E. C. Clarke 2 2 0 Mrs E. I. Miller 2 2 0 J. deCoek... 2 2 0 Mrs E. C. Clarke 1 I 0 Mrs T. H. Elliott I I 0 Mrs H. Y. Collins I I 0 Mrs W. Jeffery I I 0 Mrs W. Morrison I I 0 Mrs F. R. Linton I I 0 Mrs G. M. Archibald... I I 0 Mrs H. Lenehan I I 0 Mrs A. S. Wallace ... I I 0 Mrs Wm. Taylor I I 0 Mrs Wm. H. Mandeno I I 0 Miss S. L. Mandeno ... I I 0 Miss Mabel Ahier ... T I 0 Miss M. E. Mathews ... I I 0 A. G. Warburton I I 0 H. J. Jones I 1 0 J. Emery ... I 0 0 J. Fitzell ... I 0 6 W.Fitzell... I 0 0 J. Blackbourn I 0 0 C. A. Taylor I 0 0 J. Lander... I 0 0 Mrs E. A. Cox I I 0 Mrs J. Taylor 10 6 Miss Stewart 10 6 Kenneth Bowden I 0