PATRIOTIC FUNDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 December 1940, Page 4

PATRIOTIC FUNDS

NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL RELATION TO RED CROSS MONIES. GRANT FOR LONDON RELIEF. Reference to the relation of the Sick and Wounded Fund to the National and Provincial patriotic funds was made today by Mr T. Jordan, chairman of the National Patriotic Advisory Council. Mr Jordan emphasised that donations to the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund on September 30, had totalled £568,136, whereas donations to the National Patriotic Fund were £156,985. The money donated to the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund could be expended only for the sick, wounded or distressed and all other calls for patriotic purposes, such as providing comforts for men on active service and grants to various organisations were a charge on the National fund or on provincial patriotic funds. It was obvious, therefore, that the national and provincial patriotic funds needed building up. In the future, the national fund would not appeal to the public itself but would draw upon the various provincial patriotic funds for replenishing its fund.

“I have not yet been able to ascertain why the grant of £lOO,OOO made for the relief of distress in London was not taken wholly from the Sick and Wounded Fund of £568,000.” said Mr Jordan. “So far as I have been able to gather, £75,000 was taken from the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund and £25,000 from the provincial patriotic funds. An attempt is now being made on behalf of the Sick; Wounded and Distress Fund to collect the excess raised by any of the provinces over their quota for the London Relief Fund, the idea being fo reimburse the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund to that extent. At a recent meeting of the Wellington Patriotic Council this attempt was resisted and the money is being kept in a separate account in the provincial fund.” Mr Jordan added that each provincial district had full authority in expending its funds subject only to the rulings of the Audit Department. Details of donations and expenditure, as at September 30, were: £ National Patriotic Fund 156,985 Sick, Wounded. & Distress Fund 568,136 Donations for special purposes: Lowry Hut £10.000; New Zealand naval division £500; London Relief Fund £2237; contributions from provincial councils £1760; interest on investments £884; donations in trust for various funds £3491. Grants for the provision of comforts, etc.: Order of St. John and Red Cross £11,500; Salvation Army £13,669; Y.M.C.A. £35,999; Navy League £176; Church of England Military Affairs Committee £3000; Lady Galway Guild £561; Catholic War Service Fund £3695. Comforts:' Convoys for troopships £871; troops in New Zealand £1812; troops overseas £4129; sick and wounded £5392; First Echelon £1692; Second Echelon £2364; Third' Echelon £1990; regimental funds £895. Air Force Relations: Expenditure £1321; furniture and fittings £150; rent £56. Grants: Toe H, London, £500; Salvation Army, London, £622; Red Cross organisations overseas £15,572; Victoria League, London, £25; Y.W.C.A., London, £2501; Lord Mayor of London’s Relief of Distress £lOO,OOO. Furniture and equipment in military camps: Y.M.C.A. £656; Salvation Army £271. General expenses: Military bands £1728; library service for troops £97; patriotic songs £B4; wool for distribution £185; freight and cartage £646. Papakura hostel £l3OO. Contingency funds for comforts overseas: Egypt £6735; England £6225; Egypt (sick and wounded) £6250; England (sick and wounded) £12,450. A sum of £60,000 was on fixed deposit at trading banks at 2J per cent interest and £420,000 was in Treasury bills, bearing two per cent interest.