COLLECTION FOR PATRIOTIC PURPOSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 18

COLLECTION FOR PATRIOTIC PURPOSES.

A MAGNIFICENT RECORD. (Fhoii Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, SeptemDer 6. "A magnificent record, and one of which 'ho country may be justifiably proud." These were the words used by the J±on. G. W. Russell in presenting to Parliament this afternoon a paper allowing the amounts collected, disbursed, and held by patriotic societies of New Zealand. The collections and donations (including- interest) and the balance in hand at March 31, 1917, for the various provincial districts are given as follow: —■

The expenditure figures ehow that £113,726 iia* been spent in giving uiroct rebel to soldiers and their dependents; £76,998 on equipment, farewells, and presentations; on comforts for troops and Red Cross (incuding St. John Ambulance, Lady Liverpool, and Victoria Leagues); £3ib,785 on Belg.an relief; £76,886 on other allies; £105,<i67 on Navy reiiel; and £50,074 on administrative expenses. In addition to the amount collected by societies there have been sums sent in to the Government from private donors and from the result of special collections, so that the actual cash collections recorded to March 31, 1917, wcro as foilow:- Collected by societies, £2,509,138; received by the department of Internal Affairs for transmission abroad, hospital ships*, New Zealand sick and wounded, and other special purposes (over and above amounts forwarded by patriotic societies), £240.319; donated at the outbreak of the war to the New Zealand Government towards way expenses and special objects, £159,137; donated to tho National War Funds Council, £15,330: dominion schools' contribution to Belgian Children's Fund, £15.364; total amount of moneys collected, £2.942.338. The value of contributions of poods, ctock, produce, etc.. of which the Department of Internal Affairs had boon notified was £298,335; Government contribution and subsidy to Bel-<-ian relief, £223.145; the total contribution hi money and goods notified to the department being £3,468,G18. Moneys and goods contributed by private individuals or institution:; and forwarded direct arc not ascertainable. The contribution per head of population, as worked out bv a member of the House, is as follows: —Hawkes Bay. £3 14s 3d; Wellington, £2 19s 2d: Marlborough, £2 14s lld ; Canterbury, £2 14s 9d ; Otago. <?2 6s 4d: Auckland, £2 Is lid: Westland, £1 12a sd; Southland, £1 10s id; Taranaki, £1 9s 7d; Nekon. £1 Os Bd. INVERCARGILL, September 7. The paper presented to the House of Representatives by the Hon. G. W. Russel! yesterday showing the state of Southlands patriotic funds does not disclose the actual position, and owing to a change in the system of management only part of the funds is taken into account in the Government returns. The amount subscribed was £112,620, instead of £89.086. as shown, and th« expenditure was £41.831, instead of £'6.449. The contributions per head were £1 17s 4d, instead of £1 10s Id, as shown.

Collections. In hand. Auckland ...£600,825 £406,851 Hawke's Bay ... 166,261 112,453 Taranaki ... 79,439 43,372 Wellington ... 637.944 380,771 Marlborough ... 44,726 25,107 Nelson ... 47,370 34.143 Westland ... 25.274 8,368 Canterbury ... 486,728 253.297 Otago ... 305,820 137,750 Southland ... 89,086 72,637 Defunct societies ... 25.715 36 Total ...£2,509,188 : £1,474,785