WANGANUI ALWAYS GETS ITS PATRIOTIC QUOTA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 194, 15 August 1944, Page 4

WANGANUI ALWAYS GETS ITS PATRIOTIC QUOTA

THIS YEAR’S EFFORT £126,500 IN FOUR YEARS Ever since World War II began has raided its quota of >atriotic funds. This year the zone >vas asked to raise a sum of £16,833« -nd it was reported to a meeting of the City Patriotic Commitee ycstcr« day that, with £1615 collected in the recent "Posties’ Drive,” a sum of £17,203 lied been rai. eJ. It was al.o disclosed that, since collection of •'•'lriotic monies began, early in 1940. Wanganui has raised more thaji £126,* 500. "You will agree that it is a very* creditable performance,” the chairman of the committee. Mr. N. R. Bain, said, when the figures were read. Mr. Bain pointed out, however, that the collection of patriotic monies is a continuing duty so long as the war lasts, and, indeed, it. will be necessary to have in hand funds for assisting men when they return in everincreasing numbers. The National Patriotic Fund Board has established a Welfare Fund for these returning servicemen, and the target is £2 000,-1 000. The Wellinton province- of w which Wanganui is part, has already , put by a considerable sum for this purpose. Since Wanganui started collecting patriotic mon : es the city and district has subscribed more than £126,590. Patriotic work in Wanganui began in ’940, in which year two appeals were held, one early in the year and the other late. Since then there has been a snecific big appeal each year, and. with generous-hearts, the people have not only subscribed their quota, but, . [ in every case, more than thev w° -e I required to find. Here are the figures: 27,362 18,469 i 940 19 588 1944 (unfinished) 17,000 Total . £126,501 Those present at the meeting yes. teruay were: Messrs. N. K.. Bain, J. .Ilhams, D. Stracnan, J. H. Henson. B. M. pitkethley, B. R. Dobbs, T. I T U A Se . ’> 1! ’ Camer °n. F- H. Betlyvaite, , e A y lmer (honorary treasurer) and g. S. Young (honorary secretary), ihere was an apology from Mr. H. AL -kees.ng, and W. Ralph Brown. WHERE THE MONEY GOES INTERESTING DETAILS OF PATRIOTIC ACTIVItr. From time to time, .by word ot mouth and by letters, men ami women of the forces indicate appreciation of the good done by expenditure of patriotic monies. Responsible for the expending of a great proportion of the money is ths Joint Council of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and the Red Cross society, within whose special care come prisoners of war and ack and wounded. A balance-sheet issued by the Joint Council, covering the year ended March 31, 1944. has just been published. This shows that, durin;the year a sum of £211,995 (in roun l figures) was received from the National Patriotic Fund Board, with which the Joint Council has an imprest account. This sum covered the period up to September 30. 1943 That money was expended as follows':— Hospital comforts overseas 23*84(1 Hospital comforts in N.Z.) . 16 552 Prisoners-or-war enquiries 5 883 Prisoners-of-war parcels 154,60 S Homes (Evelyn Firth, etc.) 2,356 Assistance Returned men 89 Adm.nistration expenses 4,978 An amount of £3264 was carried forward to the following year In accounts published by the National Patriotic Fund Board covering eight months of the board’s year from October 1 last Io May 31 1944 it is shown 1 hat the Joint Council of S. John and the Red Cross Society obtained a further £187.121. Other expending agents also drew money from the National Patriotic Fund v°4 r j!’. IIIP - same period--£31,023: Church of England Military Affairs Committee, £llOOO- - Army, £3059: Catholic War services Fund £4000; Air Force Relations. £s7B—a total to these particular bodies of £60,660. 1

XT I ?- 1- ’ G .- Hayden, secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board reporting on the operations of the board i r » j ' mOnt hs under review. fJr™_ Q that payments aggregating £<30,7<8 were made on behalf of New Zealand Forces. This was divided -I^ r | tWO n 2- ln hea dings—£sl6,s76 generaj expenditure and £214,202 for prisoners of war. Expenditure on Irehalf oi troops m New Zealand (including stocks purchased and held for Pacific and other areas, and also recoverable items) totalled £98,578. A report placed before a recentmeeting of the boara disclosed that the total net receipts, for Provincial Patriotic Funds, from the tour of the Dominion of the Kiwi Concert Partv from the Middle East last year amounted to £6853. ’