H.—22a,

lieu of the quarterly gift parcel which is otherwise provided for each sailor, together with an issue of the woollen comforts, sports gear, and other amenities. As an indication of the extent of this work the following is an example of the comforts issued to one ship of the Royal New Zealand Navy in November, 1940 : Christmas annuals and books, writing-pads, and envelopes ; 50 dozen chocolate (in sealed tins) ; 20 dozen assorted jams; 20 dozen tins fruit; 20 dozen (12 oz.) sheep's tongues; 10 dozen tins condensed milk ; 4 cases of cigarettes (20,100); 2 dozen 1-gallon tins Solpak apples ; 2 dozen 1-gallon tins apricots ; 2 dozen half-gallon tins plums ; 1 dozen 1-gallon tins plums ; 2 dozen 1-gallon tins peaches ; 6 dozen tins peas ; 6 dozen 21 oz. tins carrots ; 22J dozen 22 oz. tins french beans; 8| gallon tins gooseberries ; 3 1-gallon tins gooseberries ; 22| dozen 30 oz. tins pears; 2 dozen gallon tins parsnips ; 1,000 periodicals ; 510 books. (b) Navy League Seafarer's Comforts Swpply.—ln May, 1940, at the suggestion of the GovernorGeneral, Lord Galway, the New Zealand Navy League War Council was established for the better organization of the supply of comforts for seafarers in the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and adjacent waters, and for our own men on naval ships operating off the New Zealand coast. The main function of this Council is to supply knitted garments, of which some 60,000 have been despatched from depots established at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington, to Sir Sydney Fremantle, Chairman of the Navy League Seafarers' Comforts Supply, London. The Now Zealand Navy League War Council, as an agent of the Board, has also supplied comforts to ratings on ships of the New Zealand Royal Navy. Every man leaving New Zealand to join the Royal Navy or the Fleet Air Arrn receives, at his last parade in New Zealand, a " blue bag " which contains a balaclava, a scarf, a pair of mittens, a body belt, a hussif, a pair of sea-boot stockings, two pairs of socks, and a pullover. All the knitting and spinning is done by the ladies' auxiliaries in centres where the Navy League is established. Ihe Board desires to acknowledge its indebtedness to Mr. R. Darroch, Hon. Secretary of the New Zealand Navy League War Council. . .. (c) Naval and Merchant Navy Patriotic Sub-committee of the Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee—ln Auckland a special sub-committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. Charles H. T. Palmer, has been formed for the purpose of supplying special comforts for men of the Navy and Merchant Navy. The specific function of this body is to supply gift parcels to naval personnel overseas and to men of the naval and merchant vessels leaving Auckland as a last port of call in New Zealand and to crews of mine-sweepers and isolated coast-guard stations. (d) The Overseas Seamen's Gift Committee, Wellington—Work similar to that performed by the Sub-committee in Auckland is carried out for the crews of merchant ships making their final port of departure south of Auckland, by the Overseas Seamen's Gift Committee, Wellington, under the chairmanship of Captain F. A. Mclndoe. As an example of the type of work done by this Committee, every member of the crew of the first ship to participate in the scheme in November, 1940, received a parcel which contained 1 lb. mixed sweets, 1 block chocolate, 1 lb. honey, 1 stick shaving-soap, tobacco, and cigarette papers. In addition, books were placed on board and some knitted garments. Similar parcels are placed on every overseas ship. IV. Work foe the Aie Force. (a) General.—The main distributing agent of the Board in regard to Air Force comforts is the Air Force Relations, mentioned below. In addition to the work of this organization, the Board arranges direct for comforts to be placed on each vessel on which our drafts proceed overseas, together with a sum of money, which is in charge of the Conducting Officer, for any emergency that may arise during the voyage. In addition to this service, the Board forwards gift parcels and cigarettes at quarterly intervals. . (b) Air Force Relations. —During the year the considerable expansion of the Air Force has resulted in increased work devolving on the Air Force Relations, a body which, as the agent of the Board, provides comforts and amenities for members of the Air Force in New Zealand and overseas. Branches of this organization are situated at each R.N.Z.A.F. Station in New Zealand, and representatives see that the men on the stations are issued with woollen comforts and a hussif while undergoing training and again before leaving for overseas. Nine other branches in various centres assist by sending knitted goods and tinned foods to the headquarters office in Wellington for despatch overseas. The Board desires to pay tribute to the work of Mrs. P. H. Saunders, President, and Miss Constance Morice, Hon. Secretary. Y. General Work by Expending Agents. (a) General. —The Young Men's Christian Association, Church of England Military Affairs Committee, the Salvation Army War Purposes Committee, and the Catholic War Services Fund Board all operate recreational huts and related facilities in camps in New Zealand. The Y.M.C.A. and the Church of England Military Affairs Committee carry out similar work overseas on behalf of the Board. These establishments are erected at the cost of the Board and running-expenses are paid by the Board. All are provided with notepaper for issue to the men, free of cost. Surpluses, if any, from the operations of the cafeterias run by these institutions are payable to the Board. A more detailed statement of the activities of these agents is given hereunder. (b) National Council of the Young Men's Christian Association of New Zealand, Incorporated. — A major part of the work of the Board in New Zealand and overseas is carried out by the Y.M.C.A., which, on the 30th September, 1941, operated in forty-five camps and stations in New Zealand and employed 119 men, apart from voluntary workers. The turnover in these huts for the year was £73,560, and the surplus payable into the Board's funds was £4,443. Receipts amounting to £7,356 from the staffing of the post-offices attached to Y.M.C.A. recreational huts are also payable to the Board. The capital value of the huts and marquees staffed by the Y.M.C.A. in New Zealand camps is £52,519, and the value of the equipment £22,004. Overseas the Y.M.C.A., as an agent of the Board, has rendered magnificent service in providing comforts and amenities to men engaged on active service. The reports of Y.M.C.A. workers in England, in the Western Desert, in Greece, Crete, and elsewhere indicate that almost insuperable transpoit and

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