NEARLY FIVE MILLIONS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1358, 20 June 1918, Page 8

NEARLY FIVE MILLIONS.

PATRIOTIC CONTRIBUTIONS. AN OFFICIAL RETURN. A return which has been prepared by the War Funds section of the Department of Internal Affairs contains the information that from the outbreak of the war to March 31, 1918, the patriotic societies have collected £2,789,207, to which lias to bo added, a sum of £1,017,014, made up of receipts from carnivals, transfers, interest, etc., making a total of £3,806,221. Of that, £2,110,455 has been expended, leaving a cash balance, on March 31, 1918, of £1,695,766. This, said the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Bussell) to a Sun representative this morning, must be regarded as most gratifying. The Minister added that the disbursements'were as follow:—■ , « £ Belief to soldiers, etc. .. 223,172 Equipment 101,107 \ Comforts .. .. '.' 555,249 Rod Cross 489.5RR Belgian relief 410,979* Other Allies .. 71,.!5(5 Navy relief 133,035 Expenses of administration 125,329 Total 2,110,455 *ln addition to which the Government contributions and subsidies for Belgian relief totalled £228,145. In addition to the £3,806,221, there has been raised and forwarded through the Department of Internal Affairs, for specific purposes, a sum of £60,753. 'i r oluntary contributions amounting to j5J.59,137 were made to the Government, on the outbreak of war, for war purposes. There was also the Dominion achoofs' contribution, to the Belgian Children 's Fund, of £18,364. This makes a grand total of £4,044,475. A further addition has to be made in the estimated value of goods, stores, produce, and comforts shipped through the Internal Affairs Department, £502,181. If to these items is added the Government contributions and subsidies to the Belgian Relief Fund, £228,145, a total of £4,474,801 has been raised for patriotic purposes.

The Minister pointed out that, besides all the money and goods represented by the figures already stated, allowance has to be made for moneys and goods which have been contributed by private individuals and societies and forwarded direct, the values of which are not ascertainable, and so cannot be shown. It probably would not be an unfair estimate to place the total raised, in cash and goods, bv the Dominion at not less than £I,800,(X)0. "Considering the heavy strain on the population for war purposes," said Mr Russell, "and that the population of New Zealand is only a little over a million, that is a magnificent expression of the patriotic fervour of the people. Although a large sum is in the hands of patriotic societies, as our brave boys steadily return the demands upon these funds, to 'supplement Government pensions and allowances, will increase, and I feel sure that the executives of these societies will realise fully their responsibilities to the men, and will assist them and their dependents in every way possible."

At the fortnightly meeting of the St. Paul's Young People's Society on Tuesday evening the Rev. A. T.'Thompson gave a lecture, "An Evening With an Artist—the Man and His Message " the artist selected being G. P. Watts! To add to the interest, Mr Thompson' handed round reprints of paintings bv this famous artist. On behalf of the society Mr Sniellie (the president) thanked Mr Thompson for the trouble ho had taken to give the members a pleasant and instructive evening.