H.—22

Group Travel operations have had to be severely curtailed on account of travel restrictions and the war, but notwithstanding these difficulties the organization has been held together and developed in order to cater for post-war demands, and a really commendable number of parties have been handled with very satisfactory results. Attention has been given to the question of developing community centres in New Zealand, and the Department is collaborating with other Departments interested. The development of such centres, including cultural and recreational activities, must have an uplifting effect on the physical welfare and morale of the community. The National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation has given consideration to the requirements of post-war recreation, and the work that will be necessary to satisfy the ever-growing demands of the community in this respect. VIII. PATRIOTIC PURPOSES A. Patriotic Purposes Branch The work of the Patriotic Purposes Branch again increased considerably, particularly in view of the increased number of theatres of war in which New Zealand fighting Forces were stationed or engaged. The year commenced with peak mobilization in so far as the Army was concerned, and during the year numerous readjustments necessitated increased office and store personnel, and accommodation to cope with the situation. The following are figures of goods shipped overseas on behalf of the eleven Provincial Patriotic Councils :— Gift parcels .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 240,000 Cigarettes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,980,000 Tobacco .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,980 Ib. Tobacco parcels (Postal Tobacco Scheme) .. .. .. 53,160 Patriotic goods shipped to the Pacific area, the Middle East, United Kingdom, India, Canada, and elsewhere, including comforts for hospitals overseas and for troops on transports, occupied over 122,000 cubic feet of space. The major shipments were to the Pacific area, where 348 different lines of goods were shipped, and to the Middle East, where 169 different lines were shipped. In the Middle East and in the United Kingdom most of the comforts for Service personnel, other than gift parcels and woollen goods, arc purchased overseas by the National Patriotic Fund Board's representatives. The administration expenses of the National Patriotic Fund Board for the year were 2s. lid. per cent, of receipts, as compared with 2s. Bd. per cent, for the previous year. This is particularly accounted for by the fact that the office expenses and salaries continue to be a charge against the Internal Affairs Department vote. It is not generally realized that the National Patriotic Fund Board is subsidized by the Government by approximately £500,000 a year, which includes a payment for all goods purchased for prisoner-of-war food parcels. A summary of the receipts and payments of the National Patriotic Fund Board and Provincial Patriotic Councils for the year ended 30th September, 1943, is set out below : —

Provincial Patriotic Councils

National Patriotic Fund Board £ Balance as at Ist October, 1942 (cash and investments) .. .. 437,893 Receipts from Provincial Councils and all other sources .. .. 1,417,059 1,854,952 Less payments .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,250,771 Balance at 30th September, 1943 (cash and investments) .. £604,181

4

Receipts. Payments. Balance on „ , t . Balance on Hand as at Received, f Miscellaneous Hand as at 1st October, 1942-13. e T " Payments. 30th Soptem1942. ° ' her, 1943. . ■ - - — . _ £ • '£ £ £ £ Auckland .. .. .. 168/111 1 164,117 306,834 112,130 213,564 East Coast.. .. .. 33,078 28,722 24,117 5,941 31,742 Hawke's Bay .. .. 41,232 85,977 38,073 16,105 73,031 Taranaki .. .. .. 61,075 44,566 30,353 16,033 59,255 Wellington.. .. .. 141,152 217,159 174,572 75,445 138,291 Marlborough .. .. 14,759 16,606 9,899 5,802 15,664 Nelson .. .. .. 56,597 29,706 15,637 6,123 64,543 Wcstland | 24,504 15,337 9,482 4,247 26,112 Canterbury .. .. 83,087 196,931 88,403 62,534 129,081 Otago .. .. .. 178,905 117,780 82,530 18,549 195,606 Southland .. .. .. 81,781 54,055 35,110 14,037 86,689 Totals .. .. 884,581 1,300,956 815,010 336,946 I 1,033,581* * A considerable proportion of this balance is money specially collected for post-war welfare work and cannot 1 bo used for general patriotic expenditure.