PATRIOTIC AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 60, 30 March 1943, Page 2

PATRIOTIC AFFAIRS

STATE GRANT FOR PRISONERS OF WAR The most important item of interest this month is the announcement of War Cabinet's approval of a grant to the board of £340,500, of i which £337,000 is to meet, the estimated cost of supplying food parcels to New Zealand prisoners of war and the balance of £3500 for the censoring of next-of-kin parcels. This decision, which has the effetft of reducing the total budget estimate of funds required by the Board in the current year from £1,129,500 to £789,000, and, in consequence, also the quotas each of the 11 pro* vincial patriotic councils has been asked to fill, will be welcomed by the patriotic movement generally. It is the outcome of the recommendation made by the Dominion Conference held in November that, the Government be approached for assistance in certain rcspccts. Although the Government grant affords a substantial measure of relief to the national fund, and to the provincial councils charged with the responsibility of finding the money, it will still be. necessary to provide £108,750 out of patriotic funds this year in respect to prisoners of war. This sum is made up as follows: Monthly issue of 200 cigarettes to each prisoner £38,000; technical books, £2500; maintenance of prisoner of Avar inquiry' olTices in New Zealand and supplementing of next-of-kin parcels, £10,250: parcels sent, from the United Kingdom as soon as men are notified as prisoners £18,000; service by the Canadian Red Cross last year in sending parcels to New Zealand prisoners until parcels from New Zealand began to arrive in a steady flow, £40.000.