THE VETERANS' HOME.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12402, 16 January 1905, Page 2

THE VETERANS' HOME.

AN EARNEST APPEAL

We have received ifoa following, which speak fOx themselves:—« Auckland, 17th November, 1904. Sir, —'Having taken over the honorary secretary and tneasuranship of the Veterans" Home, I would like to add to the enclosed circular, signed by Sir William Russell (by direction of bjis Exoelllesncy the Governor, Lord Plunkett), that, having been chairman of tho local committee since the opening of the Home, 1 can vouch for the fact that it is quite impo:isible to carry on th'a Home wathoufr .thie he'ip of the pubfc The amount, £800 per year, stated by Sir William Russell ma be'ng- the amount required, in addition to tho contributions received from the veterans and the income derived from investments, is und©:', rather than over, the amount that will actually be .required. Nino months' practical ©xperjeaico of running the Home demonstrates quite clearly that if the premii-.es and furnishings are to be properly maintained, and with every economy being exercised over the working of the Home, the sum actually required will be nearer £1000 than £800. The present method of depending upon fetes and entertainments for funds is far too precarious, and in my opinion the onliy sound method of financing the Home is by annual subscriptions or contributions, and if at th© end of any year there should1 be a surplurl over the amount required for the miaiintenance of the Home, such could be permanently invested, and so increase the annual income. I would therefone mosb earnestly, strongly, and respectfully urge upon you the claims of the Home, which are most deserving, in tho hope that you will agree to becomie an annual subscriber. The Home is doing good work, and is w-all deserving of your sympathy and sppport.—Yours sincerely, E. MITCHELSON, Chairman of the Local Committee.

Wellington, 15th September, 1904. gi r) _l am directed by hiis Excellency the President and members of the Board of tOie'Veterans' Home to lay before you the following statement and to solicit your assistance. The Veterans' Horn©, instituted as a perpetual memorial to those New Zealamders who lost itheir lives in, South Africa, was opened in Deo&mber, 1903, for the opeception of old soldiers, sia'lors, and members of the Colonial Forces who have .served with credit in tho wars of the ®mpir&. There is room for forty inmates, and adimisision after most exhaustive inquiry into the applicant's conduct whilst An the service and subsequently in civil life is evidence of the .exceptionally good character of those selected.

Tho comoeption of the Home was a comfortable a-esidence—a sort of club— and not an institution on the lines of an old-age asylum, and this has been carried out. It is a comfortable and honourafrlio retreat for those whose merits hava been greater than their success in life. The Home, though, free of debt and naving the cost of site, buildings, and furniture paid for, requiires (in addition to the interest on capital owned and part payment by inmatesi) oai annual sum of about £800 a year to maintain it. The collection of this sum annually (for all mac) would be, in the Board's, opinion', a difficult task, and they ar© sparing no efforts, by means of bazaars, fetes! etc., in different parts of the colony, to add as quickly as possible to the capital. In -tha meanwhile it would very greatly aid them An their efforts if they were for a few years assisted by annual subscriptions towards current expenses,

thua permitting them to devote as much as poissJbl© of the funds obtained by special efforts to augment their capital. The New Zealand Veterans' Home is one of the finest, and most practical national memorials which has bean erected in any portion of the Empire to those who fought and died daring the South African war. It is a nobiie tribute to the patriotism and generosity of the country and a testimony to the energy or Lord Ranfurly, who did so much to bring it into being. It would be^eiy regrettable if, now that Ms hand is gone, it should be in any danger of losLng^some of its pow€<r of usefulness, and my Board earnestly trust thao you will assist them in their determination to firmly establish for all time Now Zealand's national tribute to her brave sons.

Will you fill iai your name and address, with your subscription, on the euclosed form, land direct to either SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL, M.H.R., Flaxn-.ere, Hastings;

Or, H. O. WATERFIELD, ESQ., Government Bousa, Wellington Yours, etc, (Signed) W. R. RUSSELL