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Zealanders in prison camps scattered throughout Europe would receive a New Zealand parcel, there was a guarantee that a parcel from the pool would be despatched to each of our prisoners of war each week. The Joint Council, on behalf of the Board, maintained the following convalescent homes in New Zealand : Fairview, Auckland ; Mowai, Wellington ; Montecillo, Dunedin ; Evelyn Firth, Auckland ; Rannerdale, Christchurch. Prisoner of war inquiry offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin were maintained at the expense of Patriotic Funds. IV. Special Phases of Patriotic Work (a) Kiwi Concert Party.—This party returned to New Zealand on furlough from the Middle East and toured the Dominion on behalf of Patriotic Funds. The net amount realized on the tour was £6,803. (b) Anzac Division, British War Relief Society.—A. donation of £5,000 was received towards the establishment of a leave centre at New Caledonia and supplies of sports gear, cigarettes, indoor gaines, and writing-paper were shipped to the Board as a gift from the Society. The Board expresses its thanks for the continued assistance of this organization. (c) Radio Telephone Appeal.—This was held on the evening of 24th June, 1944, and realized £74,313. {d) Assistance to Allied Nationals.—From 12th to 17th. June, 1944, a special appeal was arranged on behalf of Allied nationals and £38,672 was realized. Local organizations of Allied nationals collected the money, aided by Provincial Patriotic Councils and the Board. (e) Unaddressed Quarterly Gift Parcels.—During the year four unaddressed patriotic gift parcels were despatched for each New Zealand serviceman or servicewoman overseas. The parcels for Army and Air personnel were packed by Provincial Patriotic Councils, those for the Navy personnel by a women's committee of the Auckland Navy League, and those for servicewomen by the New Zealand Townswomen's Guild, Wellington. (/) Recreation Huts in New Zealand.—During 1943—44 the number of troops in New Zealand decreased considerably and practically all the smaller camps were closed. The R.N.Z.A.F. increased in size and opened several new stations. Recreation huts were transferred from closed Army camps to these Air stations. Towards the end of this period the Air Force closed a number of their establishments. At the 30th September, seventy-nine institutions were operating in Air stations, Army camps, and naval bases in New Zealand. (9) Tobacco Parcels.—Under the Board's free-of-duty tobacco and cigarette postal scheme, 62,000 parcels were packed and despatched overseas. The principal demand was for cigarette tobacco, and the majority of the parcels were ordered for the Middle East, although the demand for cigarettes for personnel in England increased in comparison with the previous year. Relays of approximately sixteen voluntary women workers attended daily during the year, and a high standard of packing and wrapping was achieved by these workers, the majority of whom assisted for three years. The Board expresses its sincere thanks to them, and to Mrs. B. Reid, J.P., who has been in charge of the voluntary packers since the inception of the scheme. (h) Patriotic Free-of-duty Chocolate Scheme.—The Board, in association with the Post and Telegraph Department, inaugurated this scheme on 17th January, 1944. The scheme proved an instantaneous success, 85,796 orders being received to 30th September. Each pack contains 2 lb. block chocolate sealed in a tin, and in the nine months under review the total weight of chocolate sent overseas was 77 tons.

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