H.—22A

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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