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other difficulties have been overcome and that these men have lived up to the true spirit of service in supplying the fighting men in changing front lines with all canteen services and comforts at their There are fifty-two Y.M.C.A. men overseas, including one in Canada, one in London, several in Fiii and the balance in the Middle East. Four New-Zealanders were sent to assist the British Y.M.C.A. in the Middle East, one of whom was in Tobruk during the period of the seige and has since been Reports show that cordial relations exist between the Y.M.C.A. officers, Lieut.-Colonel Waite, the Board's Commissioner, and the Service Chiefs in the Middle East, who have repeatedly expressed their appreciation of the tireless energy and high standard of service of the Y.M.C.A. officers in attempting to alleviate the lot of our men under active-service conditions. The wide distribution of our men in the Western Desert has called for more mobile services than are usual in a static war front, and the Y.M.C.A. and Church Army officers (referred to later) have adapted their organizations in such a manner that an efficient service has been made available, personal services undertaken by these desert welfare officers include private purchases sometimes to the value of £400 per trip on behalf of men in scattered units. This extra service may be likened to an expansion of the mail-car facilities given to outback settlers in New Zealand. The following Y.M.C.A. secretaries and orderlies are now prisoners of war Secretaries : Ledgerwood, J. H.; Long, F. E. S.; Mclvor, I. B. ; Hunter, J. D. K., Riddell, G. C. ; Johnston, T. R. ; Pritchard, A. J. Orderlies : Grieve, W. H.; Thompson, C. E. ; Gow, D. W. ; Hill, L. M. The Board desires to express its appreciation of the splendid work performed by the Y.M.C.A. officers in New Zealand and overseas, and 1 wishes to pay a tribute to the services performed by the National Secretary, Mr. R. M. Brasted, whoso zeal and energy have been an inspiration to the men under his charge and a source of gratification to the Board. (c) Church of England Military Affairs Committee.—This organization., popularly known as the " Church Army," operates both in New Zealand and overseas as the Board's agent. As at the 30th September 1941, the Church Army operated five recreational huts and two marquees, and overseas it serviced one recreational hut and three marquees. Apart from voluntary workers, the staff engaged in servicing these huts numbered twenty-one, six of whom were overseas. The capital value ol the huts and marquees referred to above is £14,521 and of furniture £2,840. . r, \ ,i Approximately forty thousand " Service " books were issued for the use of troops in New Zealand, overseas, and on hospital ships. , ~,, The tribute paid to Y.M.C.A. officers applies with equal emphasis to Church Army officers, ihe Board desires to pay a tribute to the work of Mr. A. S. Kempthorne, Secretary of the Church of England Military Affairs Committee. - Mr. J. W. Walton and Mr. C. L. Wright, two members of the Church Army, are now prisoners ol (d) Salvation Army War Purposes Fund. —As at the 30th September, 1941, the Salvation Army operated, as an agent of the Board, in twenty-seven camps and stations and at approximately one hundred posts in New Zealand. Apart from voluntary workers, twenty-nine men were engaged during the year. The capital expenditure on huts and marquees provided by the Board as at the 30th September, 1941, was £12,871 and equipment £7,746. The work of the Salvation Army is similar to that reviewed lor the other national welfare organizations. The tribute paid to the Y.M.C.A. and to the Church Army is also due to the Salvation Army for its efforts on behalf of our fighting services. 1 articular mention should be made of the work of Colonel F. W. Burton in this regard. (c) Catholic War Services Fund Board.—As at the 30th September, 1941, the Catholic War Services Fund Board, as an agent of the National Patriotic Fund Board, staffed four recreational huts m military camps and maintained marquees and other comforts and welfare facilities at nine other centres. The capital value of the huts provided by the Board amounted to £10,261 and furnishings to £2,201. Apart from voluntary workers, seven full-time officers were engaged m supervising the work in these recreation huts. . .. „ n The Board desires to pay tribute to the work of the Right Rev. Monsignor T. I'. Connolly, V .U., and to Mr. P. F. Foot, Secretary of the Catholic War Services Fund Board, and to the Catholic War Services Fund Board generally for its work among the fighting services. (f) The Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society. (1) General; All work in providing comforts and amenities for the sick and wounded and prisoners of war is carried out for the Board by the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society, which has eleven Provincial Joint Committees operating in various parts of New Zealand. Calls during the year from the various zones overseas and in the Dominion have been heavy, but all requisitions have been fully met. Over and above the Council's responsibility for supplying supplementary needs, valuable aid has been accorded to the Army Medical Service in meeting calls made upon it for hospital supplies through the Council undertaking to fabricate the materials into the articles required without levying a charge for the labour involved. It should be noted, however, that the Council's principal obligation is to meet requisitions for goods which are supplementary to Army supplies, and the Council has determined that in all its operations the comfort and welfare of the patients must constitute the paramount consideration. Various hospital and convalescent depots within the Dominion have been supplied with similar comforts. Through the agency of the various committees many people have made up and sent in all manner of goods. The design and finish ol the fabricated articles are of an excellent standard. Considerable quantities of foodstuffs, preserves, and suchlike commodities have been sent in and distributed among the various convalescent depots at camps throughout the Dominion. Such items have been donated, and therefore do not appear as a charge against the Sick and Wounded Fund. With each departing quota of trainees, supplies of extra, comforts to meet sickness and any emergency have been placed on the respective vessels by which the trainees are proceeding overseas. At the destination any surplus on hand, is handed over to the Medical Officer in charge of the depot.

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