DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49384#0045
18 CHAPTER 111.
general desire amongst the people of the provinces, both European
and Indian, to initiate a Provincial Fund in connection with the
war. Generous support was already being given to many other
funds claiming the attention of the public at the time, but it was
felt that some more special and distinctive effort should be made, and
that the loyalty of the provinces could best be shown by the
collection therein of a sum of money to be devoted to some specific
purpose. In accordance with this feeling communicated to him
by a number of prominent gentlemen, Sir James (now Lord) Meston,
then Lieutenant-Governor of the United Provinces, convened a
public meeting in the Qaiser Bagh Baradari, Lucknow, on 14th
February, 1916. This meeting disclosed a considerable divergence
of opinion as to the use to which the fund could best be put. The
first suggestion to simply place the sum raised at the disposal of the
War Office did not meet with universal approval, as it was felt that
the fund should have some definite object. A considerable body of
opinion favoured the gift of aeroplanes or machine guns, while others
were anxious that the money should be diverted to the purchase of
Motor Ambulances. Finally, it was decided to consult the Secretary
of State, who advised that the purchase' of convoys of Motor
Ambulances would meet with the approval of His Majesty the
King-Emperor, and this advice was at once accepted. It was felt
that the fund, if employed in this way, would actually increase the
supply of an article, the necessity for which was undoubted, and
would not be paying for articles the total number of which
would have been the same whether the fund came into existence
or not.
A Provincial General Committee was formed with His Honour
Sir James (now Lord) Meston, then Lieutenant-Governor, as
President: His Highness the Nawab of Rampur, G.C J.E., G.C.v.o.,
A.D.C. to His Majesty the King-Emperor: His Highness the Maharaja
Bahadur of Benares, G.C.I.E., and the Hou’ble the Chief Justice
Sir Henry George Richards, Kt., as Vice-President. The latter
was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee, which was
general desire amongst the people of the provinces, both European
and Indian, to initiate a Provincial Fund in connection with the
war. Generous support was already being given to many other
funds claiming the attention of the public at the time, but it was
felt that some more special and distinctive effort should be made, and
that the loyalty of the provinces could best be shown by the
collection therein of a sum of money to be devoted to some specific
purpose. In accordance with this feeling communicated to him
by a number of prominent gentlemen, Sir James (now Lord) Meston,
then Lieutenant-Governor of the United Provinces, convened a
public meeting in the Qaiser Bagh Baradari, Lucknow, on 14th
February, 1916. This meeting disclosed a considerable divergence
of opinion as to the use to which the fund could best be put. The
first suggestion to simply place the sum raised at the disposal of the
War Office did not meet with universal approval, as it was felt that
the fund should have some definite object. A considerable body of
opinion favoured the gift of aeroplanes or machine guns, while others
were anxious that the money should be diverted to the purchase of
Motor Ambulances. Finally, it was decided to consult the Secretary
of State, who advised that the purchase' of convoys of Motor
Ambulances would meet with the approval of His Majesty the
King-Emperor, and this advice was at once accepted. It was felt
that the fund, if employed in this way, would actually increase the
supply of an article, the necessity for which was undoubted, and
would not be paying for articles the total number of which
would have been the same whether the fund came into existence
or not.
A Provincial General Committee was formed with His Honour
Sir James (now Lord) Meston, then Lieutenant-Governor, as
President: His Highness the Nawab of Rampur, G.C J.E., G.C.v.o.,
A.D.C. to His Majesty the King-Emperor: His Highness the Maharaja
Bahadur of Benares, G.C.I.E., and the Hou’ble the Chief Justice
Sir Henry George Richards, Kt., as Vice-President. The latter
was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee, which was