THE PATRIOTIC PURPOSES EMERGENCY REGULATIONS 1939. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL PATRIOTIC FUND BOARD.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1940 Session I, H-22a

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1940. NEW ZEALAND.

THE PATRIOTIC PURPOSES EMERGENCY REGULATIONS 1939. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NATIONAL PATRIOTIC FUND BOARD.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

The Office of the Secretary, National Patriotic Fund Board, Sir, — Wellington, 28th May, 1940. I have the honour to submit a report on the administration of the regulations and the position of the National Patriotic Fund as at 27th May, 1940. The Patriotic Purposes Emergency Regulations 1939 set up three distinct bodies: The National Patriotic Council, the National Patriotic Fund Board, and the Provincial Patriotic Councils. The National Patriotic Council is an advisory body only in that it advises the Minister of Internal Affairs, the National Patriotic Fund Board, and the eleven Provincial Patriotic Councils. This National Council has carried out extremely valuable work, and to it, as advisory to and in co-operation with the Provincial Councils, must be given credit for the success to date of the patriotic effort throughout the country. When the regulations were first promulgated a certain amount of hostility was evinced in many quarters, but now that the regulations are properly understood the opposition to them has almost entirely disappeared. The success of the regulations can be judged by a recent conference of the National Patriotic Council, the National Patriotic Fund Board, and Provincial Patriotic Councils held in Wellington, when the work of the National Patriotic Fund Board and the work of the Provincial Patriotic Councils was definitely defined, and where it was also arranged that after the present national appeals had been concluded all appeals for funds would be made by the Provincial Councils, who would guarantee to the National Fund the income necessary to carry out its work. This means that in actual fact from practically now on there will be only one body in each district appealing for patriotic funds, and that body will be the local Patriotic Committee of the district concerned. The regulations were blamed in the early stages for the fact that contributions did not come in as fast as they did in the early stages of the Great War. It is interesting to note that in New South Wales, where there are no regulations, the contributions some weeks ago were considerably less than those received in New Zealand. The psychology of the war situation, until recent weeks, has been entirely different from the psychology of the early period of the 1914-18 conflict. The aspect of the war has changed considerably ; so has the aspect of giving to patriotic funds by the general public of New Zealand. This is demonstrated throughout the whole of the Dominion by the wonderful response being made to the appeal of the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society for the Sick, Wounded, and Distress Fund. This fund aims at collecting £250,000, and at the 27th May had reached £102,000, with only a fortnight's effort. I think it can be stated with certainty that when all returns are in the public of New Zealand will have subscribed the total aimed at. PROVINCIAL PATRIOTIC COUNCILS. The donations received by Provincial Patriotic Councils to the 30th April, 1940, amounted to £71,695 14s. 6d., as follows: — £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. .. 15,313 14 0 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,016 16 8 Bast Coast .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,648 16 0 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. .. 2,312 5 5 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. 668 10 10 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,774 3 1 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. 15,842 13 0 Southland .. .. .. .. .. 6,482 2 4 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,851 19 7 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. 9,645 15 8 Westland .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,138 17 11

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NATIONAL PATRIOTIC FUND. The donations received by the National Patriotic Fund Board as at 27th May are as follows : — £ s. d. Common Fund of the Board .. .. .. .. 121,851 10 7 Sick and Wounded Fund .. .. .. .. 103,472 15 2 A total of .. .. .. .. .. £225,324 5 9 In addition to this, contributions amounting to £1,953 ss. have been made by various Provincial Patriotic Councils to the Board, and the sum of £1,382 Is. sd. is held in trust for special relief organizations. The payments to date are— Grants to approved funds and organizations for contributions of comforts to troops (other than sick and wounded) (details on £ s . d. attached statement) .. .. .. .. .. 39,740 10 6 Expenditure on comforts for troops in camps, on troopships, and to the personnel of His Majesty's Navy on escort vessels .. 5,407 15 10 Contingency Fund overseas, for comforts .. .. .. 6,735 0 0 Provision of military bands .. .. .. .. .. 1,114 13 7 Wool for distribution .. .. . . .. .. 738 16 4 Grants for the Red Cross overseas — Belgian Red Cross .. .. .. .. .. 2,500 0 0 Norwegian Red Cross .. .. .. .. .. 500 0 0 Advance to the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society .. .. .. .. .. 2,500 0 0 Direct expenditure by the Board for comforts for sick and wounded 696 16 11 £59,933 13 2 The Board's expenses to date are —- £ s. d. Salary and allowances .. .. .. .. .. 25 0 0 Office expenses (printing, stationery, postages, and office equipment) 387 9 1 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 32 17 5 Freight and cartage on goods .. .. .. .. .. 105 17 2 Expenses in connection with the Stores Depot .. .. .. 73 11 4 Thus the total administration expenses to date are .. £624 15 0 The funds in hand are as follows— £ B . d. On fixed deposit .. .. .. .. .. .. 25,000 0 0 Cash in hand .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 11 4 Cash at bank .. .. .. .. .. .. 62,680 14 1 Cash in transit from Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross 80,000 0 0 £167,694 5 5 In addition to the above-mentioned expenditure, it is estimated that the Board's liabilities for comforts provided but not paid for are approximately £1,500. Negotiations are in hand at the present moment with the Treasury for the investment at short call of further funds of the Board. It will be appreciated that at this stage it would be unwise to invest the moneys for any lengthy period. It is extremely hard to estimate the future expenditure of the National Board, so much depends on the length of the war, the number of troops sent overseas, and, in so far as the Sick and Wounded Fund is concerned, the number of casualties that will occur. 1 think it is safe to say that the present Common Fund of the Board will carry all expenditure for from twelve to eighteen months, and that the Sick and Wounded Fund will last for the same period. It must be borne in mind that in addition to the Board's main duties —i.e., the provision of comforts for our fighting Forces, the care of the sick and wounded, and relief of distress, for which it is essential that a considerable reserve be held — the National Board has the duty of building up a reserve fund so that when our men return the Board's funds will be a reservoir from which provincial funds may be augmented.

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National Patriotic Fund Board. Statement of Receipts and Payments for Period ended 27th May, 1940. Receipts. Payments. Donations — £ 8. d. £ s. d. Grants to approved funds and Common Fund .. .. 121,851 10 7 organizations , for provision Sick and Wounded Fund .. 103,472 15 2 of comforts to troops other 225,324 5 9 than sick and wounded — Contributions to Board expendi- Y.M.C.A. (includes £10,000 ture by Provincial Patriotic Lowry grant for base hut in £ s. d. £ s. d. Councils .. .. .. .. 1,953 5 0 France) .. .. 27,734 13 8 Donations, &0., held in trust for Salvation Army .. .. 10,669 0 7 other relief organizations, &c. .. 1,382 1 5 Air Force Relations Organization .. .. .. 769 16 3 Toe H .. .. .. 500 0 0 Navy League .. .. 42 0 0 Victoria League, London .. 25 0 0 39,740 10 6 Expenditure on comforts for troops in military camps and on troopships and escort vessels .. .. .. .. 5,407 15 10 Amount (New Zealand currency) sent to Acting Gift Commissioner in Egypt as a Contingency Fund for ®omforts for troops .. .. .. .. 6,735 0 0 Other expenditure for military camps, troops, &o.— Military bands equipment .. 1,114 13 7 Library service for troops .. 51 5 9 Patriotic songs .. .. 93 16 10 Wool for distribution .. 738 16 4 Comforts in stock .. .. 261 16 0 2,260 8 6 Grants to approved funds and organizations for provision of comforts for sick and wounded — Order of St. John and Red Cross (Joint Counoil) .. 2,500 0 0 Belgian Red Cross .. .. 2,500 0 0 Norwegian Red Cross .. 500 0 0 5,500 0 0 Expenditure by Board on comforts for sick and wounded .. .. 696 16 11 Board expenses — Salaries and allowances .. 25 0 0 Office expenses (printing and stationery, postages, office equipment, &c.) .. .. 387 9 1 Travelling-expenses .. 32 17 5 Freights and cartage .. 105 17 2 Stores Depot expenses .. 73 11 4 624 15 0 Investments : Fixed deposit at Bank of New Zealand .. .. 25,000 0 0 BalancesCash on hand .. .. 13 11 4 Cash at bank .. .. 62,680 14 1 Cash in transit from Order of St. John and Red Cross (Joint Council) .. .. 80,000 0 0 142,694 5 5 £228,659 12 2 £228.659 12 2 Notes.—(l) Estimated expenditure incurred but not yet met: Comforts, £1,500. (2) Negotiations are in train with the Treasury Office for investment at short call of furthei funds of the Board. I have, &c., G. A. Hayden, Secretary, National Patriotic Fund Board. The Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, Wellington.

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