PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 218, 10 June 1943, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Work Of Expending Agents STATEMENT BY BOARD “Though there appears to be a better appreciation now in New Zealand of the way the Dominion’s patriotic organization operates, it is evident that a misconception still exists in the minds of some of the New Zealand service personnel overseas,” says the National Patriotic Fund Board in a statement issued to the Press. “This is undoubtedly due to the use that is made of wellknown national welfare institutions as expending and distributing agents. “These institutions have been permitted throughout to make known their close and important association with the work by using their special insignia or badges and also by other means. They have done a splendid job and the National Patriotic Fund Board now, as at the beginning of operations, feels that they should have this privilege. At the same time, this system has led to some members of the forces believing that the patriotic effort is being financed by these organizations, whereas the actual position is that their war work among the forces is financed from the patriotic funds. , , j , “Various means have been adopted to make the true position more widely known but it is evident that the steps taken in the past have not been completely successful. With a view to bringing the facts more directly to the attention of the men overseas the board has had a leaflet printed, a copy of which is to be included in each unaddressed parcel sent overseas in future through the patriotic organizations. Extracts from Leaflet.

“ ‘When you receive comforts in hospitals from the. Red Cross Society, these are part of 'the patriotic effort,’ the message says in part. ‘Remember when you enter the Y.M.C.A., Church Army, Salvation Army and Catholic institutes that these are built, furnished and maintained from patriotic funds.’ The leaflet also points out that it has never been intended that patriotic funds are for the purpose of supplying individual comforts for the New Zealand forces overseas, the policy being to supply collective comforts in the 'form of recreation huts, bands, clubs, cinemas, mobile canteens, subsidies to regimental funds,' sports gear, libraries, writing materials and similar amenities. It is also explained that through transport and other difficulties the three-monthly distribution of gift parcels cannot always be arranged, though they are packed quarterly and every endeavour is made to dispatch them regularly. The board’s main items of expenditure are given briefly, including the grants made, to the expending agents. “It is of importance to the expending agents that the position should be clearly understood, for if through misunderstanding there should be a falling off in patriotic contributions the scope of their splendid work, for the services would be affected.”