H.—22.

Additional constructional work was carried out in the soldiers' cemeteries at Bromley (Christchurch), Taita, Anderson's Bay (Dunedin), Te Kuiti, Karori (Wellington), Mount Wesley (Dargaville), and Otaki. All soldiers' cemeteries continue to be suitably maintained under arrangements made through the local controlling authorities. Veterans' graves continue to be attended to, and during the year renovations were carried out to graves at Ngaruawahia, Tauranga, Taupo, and Opepe. All New Zealand graves and memorials overseas have been maintained by the Imperial War Graves Commission out of the income derived from the Endowment Fund of £5,000,000, to which the Imperial and Dominion Governments contributed in proportion to the number of graves of their dead. XV. 'DISTINGUISHED VISITORS. Among the many notable people who visited New Zealand during the past year were the Most Hon. the Marquess of Willingdon, P. 0., G.C.5.1., G.C.M.G., G.C.T.E., G.8.E., who represented the Government of the United Kingdom, accompanied by the Marchioness of Willingdon, C.1., G.8.E., and Viscount Errington; Senator the Hon. P. A. M. Mcßride, Assistant Minister of Commerce in the Commonwealth of Australia, representing the Australian Government, and Mrs. Mcßride ; and Mr. D. R. Grenfell, C.8.E., M.P., representing the United Kingdom Branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association at the New Zealand Centennial celebrations. Dr. W. A. Riddell, M.A., 8.D., who has taken up the position of High Commissioner for Canada in New Zealand, and Mrs. Riddell, were welcomed by the Government. Among others, Government hospitality was extended to the following visitors : The Right Hon. Viscount Runciman and Lady Runciman ; the Hon. W. Eorgan Smith, M.L.A., Premier of Queensland ; Sir Harry Luke, K.C.M.G., Governor of Fiji. In addition to these were members of the United Kingdom Air Mission and the Australian Air Mission, overseas delegates to the Defence Conference, and a number of Ministers from the Australian Commonwealth and States. Courtesies were also extended to His Excellency the Papal Legate, the Most Rev. John Panico, S.T.D., J.U.D., and other Roman Catholic dignitaries who attended the National Eucharistic Congress; His Gracc the Most Reverend H. W. K. Mowll, D.D., Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, who was present at the Centennial celebrations ; the Very Rev. John Mackenzie, D.D., and the Rev. W. Miskclly, D.D., overseas delegates to the Centennial General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand; and the Rev. Professor A. E. Albiston, M.A., 8.D., President-General of the Methodist Church of Australia, who was present at the Centennial celebrations. Several of His Majesty's and His Majesty's Australian ships and a French sloop visited New Zealand during the year, and Government hospitality was extended to the officers and men of these vessels. The substantial increase in the activities of this section was attributable to the visits of notable persons to New Zealand in connection with the Centennial celebrations. XVI. RAFFLES AND ART-UNIONS. Five hundred and thirteen licenses under authority of section 42 of the Gaming Act, 1908, were issued during the year. Of these, 290 were for works of art, 210 for small amounts of alluvial gold, and 13 for alluvial gold to the value of £5,000 each. The following table shows the gross results of the £5,000 gold art-unions :— £ s. d. Gross sales .. .. .. .. .. 260,611 7 6 Commission on sales . . .. . . .. 39,091 14 5 Expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 34,022 4 8 Prizes .. .. .. .. .. 65,000 0 0 Net proceeds .. .. .. .. .. 122,497 8 4 Lottery duty .. .. .. .. .. 26,061 2 9 Net profit .. .. .. .. .. .. 96,436 5 7 Of the net profits, £51,000 was distributed to the various mayoral or other recognized central funds established for the relief of distress, making a total of £376,000 made available for this purpose during recent years, and £20,925 allocated to charitable and philanthropic organizations, including children's homes and orphanages. The profits of No. 79 " Grand Sports " were used to assist the various sporting bodies to hold appropriate centennial meetings, and the profits of No. 88 " Our Black Cat " were devoted to the children's health camp movement. XVII. FIRE BRIGADES ACT, 1926. There are fifty-five Fire Boards in operation. Representations were made by two local bodies for a Board to be constituted in their respective districts,. but action has been withheld in view of proposals to amend the present system of fire-protection administration. The annual report of the Inspector of Fire Brigades will, as usual, be published as a separate statement. XVIII. CHARTERED CLUBS. Two applications for charters were declined in accordance with the policy not to increase the existing number. There are still forty-six clubs operating, and the reports of Inspectors of Chartered Clubs indicated that, apart from two complaints of a minor nature, all clubs were being properly conducted and were fulfilling the conditions upon which the charters were granted.

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