The Intelligencer December 2, 1915 (page 2)
“County Patriotic Fund Discussed. At the County Council session yesterday afternoon considerable information was elicited in reference to the disposition of the Patriotic Fund in Hastings County. Mr. Vermilyea stated that he personally visited all homes in Thurlow Township where husbands or sons had enlisted, and the township had made every provision for those left behind.
Mr. Clare stated that in Hungerford Township families of soldiers at the front were being well looked after.
Dr. Harper said that in Madoc village a relief committee had been formed and every case was investigated. This to some extent takes the responsibility off the Reeve. The patriotic fund might possibly in some cases have been abused.
Mr. Moore said that from the township of Elzevir one man who went to the front had been killed and his widow was receiving $20 from the patriotic fund.
Mr. Coulter, Reeve of Stirling, stated that the families of those who had gone to the front were being well looked after. There was a patriotic fund raised in the village which is used judiciously. There were a number of peculiar cases which the county organization had to deal with and some claims were unjust. He instanced one case where a mother made claims for assistance on account of her son being at the front, while her husband was at home and in possession of a good farm.
Mr. Montgomery said the township of Rawdon had an organization and received no aid from the county fund. The township sent $1,900 to the National Patriotic Fund and has drawn only about $500 out of it. We have forty at the front from the township, and only a small proportion are receiving aid. The patriotic fund has no doubt been robbed.
Mr. Rollins, Reeve of Tweed, said that those in Tweed who had husbands or sons at the front were living better today than before the war. All were well provided for.
Warden Ketcheson said the township of Sidney was organized for patriotic purposes and also for the distributing of the patriotic fund. The money is being judiciously handled in the township.”
First World War Belleville 