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1938. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1938.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Sir, — Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington, 2nd August, 1938. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of the Department for the year ended 31st March, 1938. I have, &c., The Hon. W. E. Parry, J. W. Heenan, Under-Secretary. Minister of Internal Affairs.

REPORT.

General. During the year under review the established work of the Department, as will be seen in the various sectional reports, has expanded to a remarkable degree. In addition, various new activities have been undertaken, some of a temporary or occasional nature, others that promise to become permanent. King George Y National Memorial Fund. In the last annual report brief reference was made to the inauguration of this fund by means of a public appeal by the Right Hon. the Prime Minister on 22nd. March. After the close of the financial year the organization of the machinery for furthering the appeal was developed in this Department. The Prime Minister having already thanked the people of New Zealand and all those individuals and organizations who actively helped, it is not necessary in this report to mention particular names. This Department is deeply indebted to all who met its varying requests for help and information from time to time so willingly. The object aimed at in accordance with the Prime Minister's appeal was a total of £50,000 from the people of New Zealand between 22nd March and 3rd June (the formal closing-date of the appeal). It was realized in the beginning that even the short period of two months and a half from opening to closing would not wholly be available for the work. Easter intervened at the end of March. Local authorities, on whom we were so dependent for furthering the appeal, would not meet again until the middle of April, and then approximately the first half of May would be devoted to organizing Coronation Celebrations. Notwithstanding this, contributions came in satisfactorily from the beginning, but naturally it was not until after the period of preliminary organization throughout New Zealand that the total began to mount. From time to time the Department had occasion to request local bodies, newspapers, and others who established subsidiary funds to furnish interim returns. It is desired to pay whole-hearted tribute to the manner in which these requests were met on all sides. It was evident some days before the closing-date that the objective of £50,000 would be more than reached. On 22nd May the total accounted for was £44,000 ; on 29th May it had reached £54,000 ; and telegraphed advice received from all over the Dominion on the night of 3rd June showed that £74,000 was then in hand. Money continued to come in freely for some weeks after 3rd June, and, indeed, throughout the year now under review. On 31st March last the total in hand, apart from Government contributions, was £88,813 9s. 3d. Pending legislation, which is being prepared for

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