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Dependants of New Zealand Service personnel disembarked in New Zealand totalled: wives, 154; fiancees, 288; children, 45. In addition, Movement Control arranged transportation for Navy, Air Force, and Merchant Navy dependants arriving in New Zealand. Base Records The staff of Base Records office on 31st March, 1947, was approximately half that employed on the same date in the previous year, and comprised 10 permanent and 315 temporary officers. The personal files of all ballotees are in process of transfer from Areas to Base Records, and 25,000 personal files of Interim Army, Temporary Staff, and W.A.A.C. personnel from Army Headquarters, The total number to be held by Base Records will exceed 465,000. During the year a start was made on issuing final discharge certificates to all personnel who have had Army service. Up to 31st March, 1947, about 40,000 certificates were prepared, and issues are continuing at the rate of 1,500 per week. Pay Accounts During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1947, 50,218 war service gratuity applications were lodged, bringing the total received up to 219,767. In the same period, £16,068,805 was lodged to war service gratuity Post Office accounts, bringing the total to £19,463,067. Up to 31st March, 1947, 6,135 applications for payment in lieu of leave prior to 19th April, 1944, were received, and during the year 23,548 pay accounts of returned soldiers were finalized. To widows or mothers of deceased servicemen, 1,873 free rail passes, covering twenty-eight days each, were issued. Army Expenditure The expenditure brought to charge under War Expenses Account—Army, during the financial year 1946-47 was £10,546,173, while credits-in-reduction totalling £7,458,653, making the net expenditure of £3,087,520 for the year. This shows a marked reduction upon the net expenditure of £24,017,524 for the previous year. In addition, the sum of £2,096,075 was received through disposal of surplus assets by Army and £722,784 by "War Assets Realization Board on account of Army, a total of £2,818,859. The expenditure under Consolidated Fund vote " Army " was £2,840,749, with departmental receipts amounting to £2,525, a net expenditure of £2,838,224. N. W. McD. "Weir, Major-General, Chief of the General Staff. Approximate Cost of Paper, - Preparation, not given ; printing (C4B copies), £2O.

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1947. Price 6d,]

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