PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25302, 12 August 1943, Page 6

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

EXPENDITURE IN PACIFIC AREA AMENITIES FOR WELFARE OF TROOPS The report of: Fund Commissioner in .the. Pacific area (Major C. W. Brain), datecbvJuly 7, 1943, states that during May and June six recreation centres to which patriotic funds have contributed have been officially opened, also one roadhouse and .live national patriotic Y.M.C.A. centres, all of native construction. These centres are rather picturesque, roomy, n . cool,?, and greatly appreciated bytthe troops. ‘.Another fivei: centres are in various stages of erection. In addition, Patrotic Fund grants have been made to help a number of units who are building their own centres. Sometimes the unit mess bures are used as the unit recreation centre, and here patriotic funds are used to lend a willing hand by assisting with furniture, piano, timber for staging or for writing tables according to the need and the supplies available. _ j , A small grant has been made to improve the conditions at a port where occasional leave is spent. Three padres have been assisted with their chapels, and grants have been made to the Kiwi Concert Party and the library service. Liberal issues of indoor games have been distributed. A free issue of stationery has been completed and a distribution of gift parcels made. There has also been a large free issue of outdoor sports material . which included football jerseys, football shorts, and footballs, cricket and boxing material. In addition, the Patriotic Fund Board distributed throughout the force a large issue of baseball material generously donated by the U.S. Welfare Service. , , Every day free tea has been served throughout roadhouses and national patriotic Y.M.C.A. centres, and on Sunday evenings free suppers are provided in all of these' centres. With the co-operation of the Welfare Committee, and the initiative of the force’s bakery, a very fine block cake is now being made, and is distributed bv the Fund Bpard and placed on sale in all centres where Y.M.C.A. services are available. In all manoeuvres the Y.M.C.A. staff and padres have followed the troops. Supported by the Fund Board, they have m some wav been of service. On several occasions they have met the troops at the end of a hard period of training and dispensed hot tea in the field, this service proving exceedingly popular amongst the tired and thirsty troops. As a means of improvisation, the Fund Board organised the return of the empty cases containing gift parcels so that the timber contained in them, which is of uniform thickness, could be put to profitable use in recreation centres, thus in part overcoming the problem of shortage of suitable timber for building writing tables and in this way have grade available several thousands of feet of writing space for the troops. To cover the walls of the recreation centres, plaited coconut leaves, weaved by the natives into long rolls, are being purchased. This is developing into quite a trade, and throughout the Islands a flourishing one, for the army also make great use of it for the walls of their buildings. Many have been the calls upon the Patriotic Funds provided by the sacrifices of our folk at home and administered by the Fund Board, and few have gone away empty handed. Few indeed fail to show their appreciation of the benefits made possible through the existence of the National Patriotic Fund Board of New Zealand. Patriotic Funds are urgently needed to carry on the good work of providing comforts and amenities for our active service forces, our sick and wounded and prisoners of war. The

sum asked from Otago Province this year is £115,000, and of this sum £45,000 is still required before September 30. Each district of the province has been allocated a proportion of the total amount. Has your district raised its quota? The cause is worthy; the need is urgent. Put your weight behind this “ Home Front ’’ campaign. Send a donation to-day to your local Patriotic Committee.—l2/8/43.