H.—22

VIII. PATRIOTIC PURPOSES The work of the Patriotic Purposes Branch constituted a record. The improvement in the war situation towards the end of the year resulted in the demobilization of home-service personnel, and this eased the work in New Zealand to some extent, but the maintenance of a Division in Italy, and another in the Pacific for the major part of the year, necessitated the continued flow of comforts and amenities to these theatres of war. The establishment of new clubs in Italy as the Division advanced and in the Pacific islands called for additional servicing. The gross cash expenditure in New Zealand and overseas was £1,857,281, a record to date, the next highest figure being £1,601,725 for the previous year. Administration expenses of the Board were Is. 6|d. in each £100 of receipts, compared with 2s. l|d. for the previous year. The low figure is mainly due to the National Patriotic Fund Board's office expenses and salaries being met by the Internal Affairs Department vote. Government subsidies for prisoners-of-war food parcels, transport, and in other directions approximated £400,000. Under the Board's free-of-duty tobacco scheme 67,600 parcels of cigarettes and tobacco were despatched overseas, mainly to the Middle East. This constituted a record. The parcels were packed by voluntary workers in Wellington. Approximately 86,000 orders were dealt with under the Board's free-of-duty postal chocolate scheme, resulting in 80 tons of chocolate being despatched. Goods shipped overseas to the combatant services weighed 2,534 tons (approximately 78,000 cases). This does not include shipments on behalf of Forces Club, Cairo, and miscellaneous gifts to personnel 011 visiting ships and to drafts proceeding overseas. Approximately 9,000,000 gift cigarettes were shipped overseas, and 321,000 " quarterly " gift parcels, provided by Provincial Patriotic Councils and packed voluntarily, were despatched to various parts of the world. The Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society's voluntary helpers packed and despatched approximately 384,000 prisoner-of-war parcels. This humanitarian aspect of patriotic work, which is financed by the Government, has earned unstinted praise, and evidence is not lacking that these food parcels actually saved the lives of many of our prisoners of war. The service performed by patriotic organizations was made possible only by the assistance of thousands of citizens who gave their money and their services, for the fifth year in succession, to alleviate the suffering of sick, wounded, and prisoners of war, and to provide extra comforts for our fit servicemen and women. The following table shows the state of the finances of the Dominion patriotic organizations : —

Provincial Funds (including Investments) and Receipts and Payments for year ended 30th September, 1944

Westland figures are not available. Its balance 011 hand Ist October, 1943, was £26,112Budget payments to Board for year were £2,061. Auckland balance on hand, 30th September, 1944, £295,603, to be adjusted internally between Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Northland, and Waikato (new provincial patriotic districts).

6

Receipts. Payments. Balance 011 Budeot Balance on Hand as at Received, . Miscellaneous Hand as at 1st October, 19-43-44. ° Payments. 30th Septem1943. ° ' ber, 1944. £ £ £ £ £ Auckland 213,564 359.641 194,164 83,438 295,603 East Coast 32,711 31,129 12,822 8,744 42,274 Hawke'sBav 73,031 71,460 29,306 17,268 97,917 Taranaki 59,255 54,416 23,370 10,955 79,346 Wellington . . .. 138,294 244,230 125,131 72,193 185,200 Marlborough 15,666 16,818 7,458 6,817 18,209 Nelson .. •• 64,544 31,152 12,037 9,801 73,858 Westland Canterbury 127,995 202,404 120,899 98,700 110,800 Otago " 195,606 133,964 46,419 30,380 252,771 Southland .. 86,817 56,347 25,916 17,573 99,675 Totals .. .. 1,007,483 1,201,561 597,522 355,869 1,255,653