Poor support for soldiers’ fund
AT yesterday’s meeting of the executive of the Patriotic Association, the Public Appeal Committee reported that the campaign to raise money for the Otago Soldiers and Dependents’ Fund had now closed, having been carried on for six months, as agreed upon. The total collected in town and country was £12,949 9s 7d, and several small sums still be be handed in should bring the amount up to £13,000.
Mr J. A. Johnstone (chairman of the committee) moved the adoption of the report, and said that since last
meeting the committee had received from the subcommittee who had the bottle collecting scheme in hand, the balance of the proceeds of the collection — namely, £823 14s 10d, making in all £2502 8s 5d raised by the school children in Otago for our stricken Allies in Belgium.
The total sum that had passed through the treasurer’s hands for Belgian relief exceeded £84,500. He wished that it were possible for him to say that the efforts on behalf of the dependants of the brave fellows who had gone from this district to the war, had met with equal success. Unfortunately for the cause itself, and for those whose needs were undoubtedly a first claim upon us, the Government grants and allowances notwithstanding, we had failed in a great measure to place the Soldiers and Dependents’ Fund upon a sound financial basis, and that, very largely, because there had been a lack of unity upon the part of the people of Otago in their views and endeavours. Noone of
unbiased mind who had carefully examined the published list of subscribers to the fund, and who had any knowledge of the circumstances of our people, would dare to say that the response to the numerous appeals had been at all general or in keeping with the object thereof, or in accordance with the means of the great majority of our citizens and of their brethren on the land. He had endeavoured to find logical grounds for this apparent apathy of the people of Otago towards this vitally important fund, but without success.
An appeal was made for £200,000, and barely £13,000 was raised, bringing the total received to date up to about £145,000.