8.—6

XI

WAR-RELIEF FUNDS. During the past financial year the public has continued to subscribe very handsomely towards the various relief funds, and has also made liberal donations of comforts for our troops and for the civil populations suffering from the effects of the war. The amounts contributed through the Government by the people of the Dominion are, — -P, . . _~,-, , Year ended Two Years ended Belgian Relief Fund— 31st Marob> 1917 . 3Lst March) 1917 . Subscriptions subject to Government £ s. d. £ s. d. subsidy .. .. .. 54,137 8 2 113,144 16 10 Special contributions .. .. 6,514 12 1 147,948 19 1 Other Belgian Funds .. .. 25,714 10 2 32,367 1 7 86,366 10 5 293,460 17 6 Other Allies .. .. .. 10,176 4 3 22,140 10 10 Great Britain and Ireland .. .. 1,740 18 1 7,635 17 7 Military Funds — British Red Cross .. . 65,776 17 0 85,681 9 1 British Navy relief .. 95,701 8 0 95,701 8 0 New Zealand hospital ships .. .. 61,131 4 2 New Zealand comforts .. .. 67,216 9 9 83,479 18 2 New Zealand war relief .. .. 682 I 6 11,952 18 0 New Zealand convalescent homes . . 652 1.3 5,78231 Sundry funds .. .. .. 10,550 17 3 12,038 910 Voluntary contributions .. .. 338,863 7 6 679,004 16 3 Government contributions to the Belgian Relief Fund, including subsidy on amount shown above .. .. 109,137 8 2 228,144 16 10 £448,000 15 8 £907,149 13 1 These figures do not represent the total contributions from the Dominion to the objects named, as some contributions were forwarded through private channels. The approximate value of the gift goods forwarded from the Dominion for various purposes is as follows :— Year ended Total to 31st March, 1917. . 31st March, 1917. £ s. d. £ s. d. Poor of Belgium .. .. .. 6,200 0 0 83,200 0 0 Poor of United Kingdom .. .. 1,270 0 0 4,270 0 0 Red Cross purposes .. .. .. 150,995 0 0 210,865 0 0 £158,465 0 0 £298,335 0 0 In addition to the contributions in money and kind, it is estimated that the total funds raised by the patriotic societies to the 31st March, 1917, amount to £2,095,931. MINING. The value of the minerals exported for the year 1916 was £1,726,659, which is less than the value exported during the previous year by £375,771. This decrease is more apparent than real, as it is due very largely to the stoppage of the export of gold during the latter part of the year .19.14. Owing to this stoppage the accumulations for the year 1914 were exported during the year .1915, consequently the exports for 1915 were unduly inflated. The output of coal for the year 1916 was 2,257,135 tons, an increase|of 48,5.11 tons above that of the previous year. With the exception of the output for the year 1914, the above figures constitute a record for the Dominion. The maintenance of the output, in view of the shortage of labour and the lack of shipping, is a matter for congratulation.