PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23349, 7 June 1941, Page 8

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Review of Help For Troops SMALL AMOUNT SPENT IN ADMINISTRATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 6. Administration expenses of only £238 9s 4d out of a total expenditure of £200,184 11s 6d were shown in the statement of receipts and payments of the National Patriotic Fund Board for the current year, a period of eight months as from October 1 last, which was placed before the annual conference of patriotic bodies this week. The £238 represents board and office expenses for such items as postages and telegrams, printing and stationery,' travelling and allowances, and office requisites. The salaries of the staff are paid by the Government. These figures provide evidence of the endeavour made from the start to see that money subscribed by the public is used for the benefit of the New Zealand forces Considerable sums of money have been remitted overseas to provide contingency funds for this purpose. During the last eight months £32,250 has been sent to Egypt, £8750 to England, £13,256 to Suva, and £SO to Australia, a total of £54,306, in addition to the maintenance of the Young Men’s Christian Association service. These funds constitute a reservoir from which to draw to meet such events as the evacuation of the New Zealand troops from Greece and Crete. A dispatch from the board’s overseas commissioner (Lieutenant-Colonel F. Waite) this week indicates that very welcome comforts were made available for men when they returned to Egypt after those two nightmare campaigns. " ■ Besides a large sum of money transmitted to the Middle East,- the board in the last eight months has also spent £11,356 in purchasing goods in New Zealand for sale to the troops at cost in the New Zealand Forces Club at Cairo. Another amount of £8647 has also been spent in' the same- period in this country in the purchase of such items as radio .sets, tobacco and cigarettes, newspapers and periodicals, sports gear, etc., for the forces overseas. In addition to this actual cash expenditure by the board, contributions of gift parcels by peoole all over New Zealand represent a considerable sum that has been spent privately for the benefit of the forces. During the last eight months contingency funds of £5742 13s 6d for Egypt, and £ 12,450 for England, have also been provided from the Sick and Wounded Fund for sick and wounded purposes. The accounts disclose a balance in the Sick and Wounded Fund of £459,382 17s, but in view of the large number of New* Zealand sick and wounded, and also prisoners of war as a result of the recent operations in Greece and Crete, it is anticipated that this fund will be called upon to meet very heavy commitments in the 'near future. Details ar£ given in the statement of receipts and expenditure of expenditure on comforts for the troops. They include the following items: —Convoys for transports, £IOO 3s; troops on transports, £2945 6s 3d; troops overseas, £8647 4s 8d; troops in New Zealand, £2956 Is lid; regimental funds, £567; military bands equipment, £1741 18s 8d; library service for troops, £222 13s lid; comforts for overseas seamen, £857 8s lid. Donations to the common fund of the board in the eight months under review totalled £129,700 8s 6d, made up as follows:—Direct to the board, £19,614 8s 6d; contributions from provincial patriotic councils, £IIO,OBO.