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New South Wales ; Brigadier General Lloyd, M.L.A., New South Wales ; Hon. H. S. Bailey, M.L.A., Victoria ; Hon. R. Cosgrove, Tasmania ; Hon. Ē. R. Angeio, M.L.C., Western Australia ; Hon. E. M. Heenan, M.L.C., Western Australia ; Hon. Donald Grant, M.L.C., Federal Government ; and Hon. Sir Charles Marr, Federal House of Representatives. From Great Britain we were privileged to receive visits from many prominent people, such as Lord Hartington, Parliamentary UnderSecretary of State for Dominion Affairs ; Kenneth Lindsay, Esq., M.P., Civil Lord of the Admiralty ; Right Hon. Sir Basil Brooke, Minister of Agriculture, Northern Ireland ; Lord Selbourne, Former First Lord of the Admiralty ; The Countess Haig ; Archbishop D'Arcy, Primate of All Ireland ; and Sir Edward Harding, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, while from Canada came the ex Prime Minister, the Right Hon. R. B. Bennett ; from Kenya, Brigadier General Sir Joseph A. Byrne, Governor ; and from Tonga, Queen Salote and the Hon. Tugi, Premier. In striking contrast to last year, the number of warships to visit New Zealand waters during the year just completed was very small. The United States honoured us with visits from two destroyers, the " Preston " and " Smith," and a training-ship, the " California State," while from France came the sloop " Savorgnan de Brazza." The Government hospitality extended to officers and men of these ships was very much appreciated, and the thanks of the Department are most deservedly due to local authorities and the various organizations concerned with naval visits for their very willing and successful efforts in making the stay of the ships' complements as pleasant as possible. Wak Graves. New Zealand. —The number of notifications of deaths of returned soldiers received by the Department was 694, of which 161 were accepted as war graves —i.e., that the cause of death in these cases was attributable to disabilities sustained on or aggravated by war service. The total number of war graves in New Zealand at the close of the year was 3,208. Temporary crosses to mark the graves until such time as the soldiers' headstones are erected were placed on 284 graves, and headstones to the number of 142 were ordered. Additional constructional work was carried out in the soldiers' cemeteries at Karori, Hokitika, Rotorua, Anderson's Bay, Dunedin, Timaru, and Taruheru, Gisborne. All soldiers' graves continue to be suitably maintained under arrangements made through the local controlling authorities. Veterans' graves also continue to be attended to, and during the year extensive renovations were put in hand in the following cemeteries containing the graves of old settlers and veterans of the Maori Wars : Opepe, Taupo, Akaroa, (old French cemetery) Orakau, Ngaruawahia, and Symonds Street, Auckland. Overseas. —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 established for that purpose and to which the Imperial and Dominion Governments contributed in proportion to the number of graves of their dead. War Funds. Although nearly nineteen years have elapsed since the conclusion of the Great War of 1914-18 the conservation by the trustees of sufficient war funds for future needs has proven to be a wise policy, as evidenced by the maintained calls upon the funds. At the present date there remain on the register of active societies but fifty-four "of the 559 approved societies in operation in March, 1919. The latest annual statements received are summarized in the following statement: — £ s. d. 27 Incorporated societies .. .. .. .. .. 401,619 16 7 12 Unincorporated societies .. .. .. .. •• 7,798 13 1 7 Red Cross societies .. .. .. • • • • 93,687 6 3 3* Blind Soldiers or Veterans' Homes Funds .. .. .. 69,243 2 4 6 Returned Soldiers' Clubs . . .. .. .. . • 26,996 9 0 55 599,345 7 3 National War Funds Council .. .. .. .. 96,946 16 1 £696,292 3 4 The Flock House property of the New Zealand Sheepowners' Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund has been purchased by the Government, but, pending agreement as to the purchaseprice, the last balance-sheet figures including Flock House property has been taken. A proportion of the total shown above is fixed assets and a further portion is represented by advances to soldiers, so that the percentage of readily convertible assets are estimated as approximately 50 per cent. Totalisatob Inspection. In view of lack of uniformity in the display of dividends to the public on racecourses it was decided to make it mandatory for the main display of dividends at all race meetings to be for a £1 investment. The system of having a representative of the Department at all totalizator race meetings has been continued. A new electric totalizator of the barometer type has been isntalled by the Wellington Racing Club.

* Includes one " home " under the control of an incorporated society.

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