Where did the Original Patriotic Funds come from?
During the First World War some 600 separate Patriotic Funds were
established. During the Second World War the Government decided to limit the
number of Patriotic Funds to twelve (one National and eleven Provincial). This
enabled elected local bodies to oversee and have full control of the collection
and expenditure of all monies collected from the public for Patriotic purposes.
The substance is contained in the Patriotic Purposes Emergency Regulations,
1939, which in part say: "The Patriotic Funds are not in any way
administered or expended by the Government, but by the elected representatives
of the Public Bodies in the Districts concerned." At the end of the Second
World War, Headquarters recommended to Units, that the balance of those funds
that were derived in part from the profits made by the units on the sale of
canteen goods and in part from donations from the National Patriotic Fund,
should go to the central 2 NZEF Fund, which it was thought would go to swell a
large central fund in New Zealand, which turned out to be the case. So the vast
bulk of the funds which created today's real and personal assets, such as Montecillo, came from the pockets of the servicemen on active service, home
units, or from public donations to those servicemen.
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What has happened to the funds?
The existing Patriotic funds have been depleted to the point where they are
no longer available to support the operations of Montecillo, one of four
patriotic Homes in New Zealand, the other homes being located in Auckland, Levin
and Christchurch.
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Who may use Montecillo?
In the continuation of comradeship, the residents of Montecillo (male and
female), include ex-navy, army and air force, home service, the merchant navy as
well as the dependants of all these personnel.
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There is a special nature of care at Montecillo - who provides for
that?
Yes, there is an attitude of special care at Montecillo. Part history,
part heritage, part legacy, all aimed in the direction of meeting our
responsibility toward our veterans. We regard our residents now, and those in
the future, as part of this Nation's "living treasure". So, from the
staff perspective then, Montecillo is a repository for part of the Nation's
human treasure, and we are the caretakers. Our staff who provide that special
nature of care unique to Montecillo, want to be here, this being the way they
can return in kind, a commitment to those who served and made a sacrifice.
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What guarantee does a donor have that the money raised will be kept
South of the Waitaki and spent on Montecillo?
A Charitable Trust is established for that purpose. The Trust is supported,
assisted and guided by an Incorporated Society - The
Friends of Montecillo.
Donations can be made to both trust and the Friends of Montecillo and these
donations will attract the tax benefits of a charitable donation.
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