H.—22A

Details of Board's receipts and payments are as follows :—

111. General Work by Expending Agents Previous reports have detailed the method of expending patriotic funds through expending agents. The activities of the principal expending agents are reflected in the following summaries :— (a) Y.M.C.A.—This organization operated as patriotic expending agent in New Zealand, Middle East, and in the Pacific. The number of patriotic huts serviced on behalf of the Board was 176 in New Zealand, and approximately 50 overseas. The number of paid employees, apart from voluntary workers, was 69 overseas and 207 in New Zealand. Advances by the Board amounted to £300,458. The capital value of patriotic huts and furniture in New Zealand amounted to £200,862 4s. Bd. Buffets were operated in 183 centres, and receipts amounted to £184,845. This, together with commission received from the post-offices in recreation huts, was paid into Patriotic Funds. (b) Church of England Military Affairs Committee.—The Church of England Military Affairs Committee continued to operate comforts work on behalf of the Board overseas and in New Zealand, and to direct the work of the Church Army patriotic huts. The number of huts in New Zealand reached a maximum of 31 in December, 1942, with a paid staff of 46. Because of the changing war conditions, the year ended with 12 recreation huts and a staff of 30. In addition, there were 8 large Chapel huts in Air Force Stations, and 4 small Chapel huts with the Army. Total capital value of huts in operation, £24,762, and of furniture £8,101 Is. lOd. Two motor-vehicles operated in the Northern Military District, one as a canteen and the other distributing amenities to scattered units. The Board paid to this organization £46,013 during the year. The receipts in Church Army buffets account, £18,763, were paid to the Board. The Church Army staffed 1 hut at Base, Middle East, conducted 3 marquees, and operated 2 motorvehicles in the forward areas. Two Church Army Officers accompanied the Division to the Western Desert and Tripoli. Orderlies posted by the Army have rendered valuable assistance. One orderly, Sergeant E. MacKay, was killed on service. Chaplains have been supplied with equipment for spiritual work. In the Pacific the Church Army was given the responsibility of servicing Norfolk Island. At the close of the year Mr. A. S. Kempthorne resigned his position as Secretary, after three and a half years' efficient service, and his position was taken by Captain F. C. Pearce, Church Army Secretary, who had been in charge of Church Army staff since 1940. (c) Salvation Army.—The Salvation Army War Services Board, which operates in New Zealand, expended £77,222 on behalf of the Board during the year ; buffet receipts being £34,523. The patriotic recreation huts under the charge of the Salvation Army at the close of the year numbered 46. These centres were staffed by 54 Salvation Army welfare workers, who were fully employed by the Board. These employees were assisted by a large body of voluntary workers, who have rendered excellent service. (d) Catholic War Services Fund Board.—The Catholic War Services Fund Board operates in New Zealand as an expending agent of the National Patriotic Fund Board, and during the year expended patriotic moneys amounting to £21,361. The number of patriotic recreation huts or centres serviced by the Catholic War Services Fund Board on behalf of the Board was 15. The number of paid employees was 27. The capital value of patriotic huts and furniture in New Zealand amounted to £29,799 12s. Bd. Buffets were operated in 12 centres, and the receipts were £8,939. (e) N.Z. Navy League War Council.—This Council has continued its good work of knitting woollen comforts from patriotic wool for issue to the men of the Navy and Merchant Navy in New Zealand and overseas. All such men on visiting ships are, if necessary, supplied with woollen comforts at their last port of call. Surplus woollen comforts are despatched to various patriotic organizations in England for issue to Navy and Merchant Navy men there. An amount of £410 Is. sd. was paid to the Board during the year. (/) Overseas Seamen's Gift Committee, Wellington, and Missions to Seamen.—These bodies acted on behalf of the Board in providing parcels and comforts, or woollens, for overseas seamen at their last port of call. (g) Air Force Relations.—Woollen and other comforts for Air Force personnel in New Zealand and overseas were supplied by this organization working under the aegis of the Board. Large quantities of knitted goods were made up and despatched by knitters attached to the various branches throughout New Zealand, and Provincial Councils materially assisted in this work. The Board wishes to pay a tribute to the large number of knitters who assisted. (h) Sick, Wounded, and Prisoners of War.—The Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Bed Cross Society is the sole expending agent of the Board in connection with sick, wounded, and prisoners of war. The increase in the number of prisoners of war threw an added burden on the Joint Council, and at the close of the year they were packing 8,000 parcels weekly, as compared with 6,000 weekly at the commencement of the year. In the early part of the year arrangements were made, owing to the increase in the number of our prisoners, for the Canadian Bed Cross to pack and forward parcels until such time as transport facilities enabled the New Zealand parcels to be received on the other side.

2

Receipts from Provincial _ , Patriotic Councils and Payments during Year u "get (Estimated Exother Sources during ended 30th September, penditure for Year Year ended 30th 1943. ending 3°th SeptemSeptember, 1943. r * )' £ £ £ General .. .. .. 802,777 866,237 558,250 Sick and wounded .. .. 197,432 142,958 102,250 Prisoners of war .. .. 416,850 241,576 53,000 1,417,059 1,250,771 713,500