WAR RELIEF.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVIII, Issue 123, 17 July 1940, Page 3

WAR RELIEF.

OPERATIONS OF THE YEAR, NAPIER, This day. The twenty-fourth anntial meeting of the Hawke’s Bay War Relief Association was held here to-day, delegates attending from branches operating between Wairoa and Woodville. Mr J. N. Barrie presided. In the course of the annual report it was stated that during the past year assistance was granted to 1746 soldiers and their dependents to the amount of £4885 8s 3d The sum of £3375 15s 5d was paid by way of grants and £1509 12s lOd as loans. Of the above amount of grants, £2745 2s 3d was paid on account of those whom the Association assumed responsibility of assisting, £4Bl 9s 4d on behalf of kindred societies, and £149 3s lOd on account of the Hunter Soldiers’ Assistance Trust Board. The total number of new loans was 160.

During the year refunds collected in respect of loans to soldiers amounted to £2669 Is lOd, from kindred societies £421 3s, and the sum of £lsl 10s was received from the Hunter Soldiers’ Assistance Trust Board.

The total amount collected by the Association and its associated societies for patriotic purposes amounted to £217,930 10s, and the total interest on investments and loans received during the 24 years amounted to £70,675 3s lid. Loans refunded by our own soldiers and kindred societies amounted to £184,463 3s, making a grand total of £473,068 16s lid. During the 24 years of its operations the sum of £123,135 8s has been distributed by the Association by way of grants for the relief of soldiers and dependents, and loans amounting to £181,263 2s 7d have been made. In addition, payments on behalf of kindred societies amount to £34,052 5s lOd. The Association contributed to other funds during the war the sum of £4290 13s lOd and lias paid over £67,457 19s lOd, which rvas specially allocated to various funds by the contributors of the money, making a. grand total of £410,199 10s Id, which has been disbursed through the Association.

The balance-sheet shows that at the present time the accumulated fund is £30,811 9s 7d, and of this amount £22,452 9s is invested in trustee securities and cash in bank, and of the balance £8449 8s 5d is outstanding on 202 secured loans which have been made to soldiers.