CANTEEN FUNDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 201, 24 August 1940, Page 8

CANTEEN FUNDS.

ALLOCATION METHOD.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER.

WELLINGTON, Friday

'"The statements made are liable to create a wrong impression that the canteen money is handled by the Internal -Marketing Division," said the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, when replying to-day to comments made at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee. Mr. Jones also discussed canteen profits and general administration.

'"I would like, to correct that impression and make it quite clear that the whole of the canteen activities and protits are controlled by the Canteen Board, of which I am chairman," Mr. Jones said. "I am present at meetings where all allocations of profits are considered and dealt with.

"The working details of the canteen organisation, while being under the control of the Canteen Board, are more directly supervised by the Director of Internal Marketing, Mr. F. R. Picot, who is also a member of the board.

. "It is very wrong to suggest that a charge is made for the use of the camp theatre at PapakurOj" Mr. Jones continued. "This particular theatre is employed six nights a week screening pictures as part of the canteen activities. It is therefore obvious that the board is not in the position to hire the theatre, nor has an approach ever been made to the board along this line. I am at a loss to understand where such a suggestion could originate. "It is not considered advisable that the whole of the profits should be allocated in any particular period, but rather that the surplus revenue should be hold in a trust account available, for distribution at intervals, not only to troops who leave the country, but also to units of the local defence forces, which have contributed in a considerable measure to the profits," Mr. Jones said. "The total funds are solely the property of the Canteen Board in trust for the men and are in ho way absorbed as Departmental revenue. "I would emphasise that operating and purchasing costs are kept down to a minimum and the prices charged in the canteens are, upon a basis competitive with the lowest retail prices. In many instances goods, and especially services, such as hairdressing, pictures and photography, are made available at prices below the usual retail figures."— (Parl. Reporter.)