PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1917, Page 6

PATRIOTIC FUNDS.

— • COUNTRY'S GOOD RECORD. "A magnificent record, and one of which the country might he justifiably proud." These words were used by the Hon. G. W. Russell, in presenting to Parliament recently a paper showing the amounts collected, disbursed, and held by the patriotic societies of New Zealand. The collections and,, donations (including interest), and the balance in hand at March 31, 1017, for the various provincial districts are given as follows: Collections. Balance. £ • £ Auckland ............. .600.825 406,851 Hawke's Bay ■ 160261 112,453' Taranaki ........-.,.-.i' 79,439 43,372 Wellington ~,.■ 637,944 380.771 Marlborough ....... 44,726 25,107 Nelson ;'.,.'-.,.-.•.., 47 370 34,143 Westland ... 25.274 8.368 Canterbury .... 7 .,...„ 486,728 253,297 Otago ~•.,.'...., 305,820 137,750 'Southland 89.056 72,637 Defunct societies .. 25,715 36 Total . 2,509,188 1,474,785 The expenditure figures show that £113,726 has been spent in giving direct relief to soldiers and their dependants : £76,998 on equipment, farewells, and presentations; £292.680 on comforts for troops and Red Cross, including St. John Ambulance, Lady Liverpool, and Victoria Leagues; £318,785 in Belgian relief; £70,883 on other Allies; £103,257 on Navy relief; £50,074) on administrative expenses. In addition to the amount collected by societies there have been large sums sent in to the Government from private donors and from the result of special collections, so that the actual cash collections recorded to March 31, 1917, were as follows:—i '£ Collected by societies ....- •.. 2,509,18S Received by the Department of Internal Affairs for transmission abroad, hospital ships, New. Zealand sick and wounded, and other special purposes (over and above amounts forwarded by patriotic societies) 240,319 Donated at the outbreak of the war to the New Zealand , Government • towards war expenses and special objects 159,137 Donated to the National War Funds Council 15,330 Dominion schools contribution to Belgian Children's Fund 18,364 Total amount of moneys collected 2,942,338 Value of contributions of goods, stock, produce, etc., of which the Department of Internal Affairs had been notified 298,335 Government contribution and subsidy to Belgian relief ... 228,145 Total contribution in money and goods notified to Department .... £3.468,818 Moneys and goods contributed by private individuals or institutions and forwarded direct are not ascertainable. The contributions per head of population have been, worked out as follows (not being part of the Parliamentary Paper) : '£ s d 1 Hawkes' Bay .. 3 4 9 Wellington 2 19 2 Marlborough ............. 2 14 11 Canterbury .. .. 2 14 9 Otago 2 6 4 Auckland 2 1 11 Westland 1 12 5 Southland .., 1 10 !..■ Taranaki ; 1 9 7 Nelson 1 0 8