H—22.

Whilst here, he lectured in the main centres on the work and objects of the Commission. He met with a very cordial reception from the various ex-servicemen «and women's organizations, and those interested in the care of war graves in the Dominion, and his lectures were followed with great interest. Sir Fabian, within the limits of the time at his disposal, visited as many of the soldiers' plots in the local cemeteries as possible. According to reports appearing in the London press on his return to England, he expressed himself as favourably impressed with the standard of maintenance of soldiers' plots in New Zealand. Overseas. —All New Zealand graves and memorials overseas have been maintained by the Imperial War Graves Commission out of the income derived from the Endowment Fund of £5,000,000 established for that purpose, and to which the Imperial and Dominion Governments contributed in proportion to the number of graves of their dead. War Funds. During the ten-year period ended 31st March, 1935, the number of registered war funds in active operation has been reduced from eighty-three to fifty-four, a reduction of three for the year under review. Details of the funds are summarized as follows £ s - d - Twenty-seven incorporated societies .. .. •• •• 491,310 14 0 Seven Red Cross organizations .. • • ■ • • • 102, 884 6 6 Three Blind Soldiers and Veterans' Homes Funds .. .. 71,646 0 7 Twelve unincorporated funds .. .. •• 8,412 13 3 Six Returned Soldiers' Clubs .. • • • • ■ • 29,889 8 5 704,143 2 9 National War Funds Council .. 123,952 2 7 Total £828,095 4 Of this apparently large sum, a considerable percentage consists of advances to soldiers (the majority of which will doubtless eventually be written off as grants), farm property (Flock House), Red Cross and Veteran Homes, and other fixed assets, so that approximately only 60 per cent, is in liquid assets, which are represented by sound investments. The policy of conserving the funds that has been pursued by the trustees as a general rule has been fully justified, as calls for relief and assistance have not diminished to any appreciable extent as the years have passed. Totalizator Inspection. A representative of the Department attended each race meeting at which the totalizator was in operation. A marked feature of the year was the number of betting-systems which have been tried. The New Zealand Racing Conference has amended the rules of racing to permit of a choice of one of two systems only by racing and hunt clubs, but several systems are available to trotting clubs. A barometer totalizator, showing the odds for each horse, has also been in use at several meetings. Raffles. Six hundred and fifty-four licenses under authority of section 42 of the Gaming Act, 1908, were issued during the year. Of these, 440 were for works of art, 202 for small amounts of alluvial gold, and 12 for alluvial gold as follows : — One for £100, to enable New Zealand to be represented in the eight-oar race at the Melbourne Centenary Regatta. One for £300, to assist in financing the Manawatu Aero Club's entry in the Melbourne Centenary Air Race. One for £1,500, in aid of the Auckland Aero Club's entry in the Melbourne Centenary Air Race. Two of £5,000 and seven of £4,000 each, principally for the relief of distress. The following table shows the results of the art unions that were subject to lottery duty in terms of section 2of the Stamp Duties Amendment Act, 1931—i.e., those for mineral specimens in excess of a total value of £100 :—

3—H. 22,

11

License No. and Name. Gross Sales. Comi^ on on Expenses. Prises. Net Proceeds. Lottery Duty. Net Profit. £ s d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. •50 Luckv Cat .. 22,812 7 6 3,421 17 2 2,969 0 0 4,000 12,421 10 4 2,281 4 9 10,140 5 7 31 Happv-Go-Lucky .. 18 158 17 6 2,723 16 8 2,883 2 10 4,000 8,551 18 0 1,815 17 9 6,736 0 3 32 Change of Luck .. 18 917 12 6 2,837 12 11 2,916 1 4 4,000 9,163 18 3 1,891 15 3 7,272 3 0 33' My Lucky Star .. 17 729 10 0 2 659 8 6 2,891 4 6 4,000 8,178 17 0 1,772 19 0 6,405 18 0 34 Great Air Race .. 12 227 4 0 1,528 8 0 2,863 11 7 1,500 6,335 4 5 1,222 14 5 5,112 10 0 35 Best of Luck .. 1« 986' 2 6 8 5 2,813 3 2 4,000 6,732 10 11 1,593 12 3 5,138 18 8 36 Lucky for Me .. 16,366 15 0 2,455 0 3 2,854 12 1 4,000 7,057 2 8 1,636 13 6 5,420 9 2 37' My Luckv Number . 16,803 0 0 2,520 9 0 2,898 3 5 4,000 7,384 7 7 1,680 6 0 5,704 1 7 38 Bis Prize List " 18,981 10 0 4 6 2,785 4 2 5,000 8,349 1 4 1,898 3 0 6,450 18 4 39. The Grand .. 19,855 10 0 2,978 6 6 2,888 9 3 5,000 8,988 14 3 1,985 11 0 7,003 3 3 Totals .. 177,788 9 0 26,362 11 11 28,762 12 4 39,500 83,163 4 9 17,778 16 11 65,384 7 10