H.—22a

Details of Board's receipts and payments are as follows

The work of the National Patriotic Fund Board is— (1) To co-ordinate the activities of the many societies engaged in patriotic work, in order to avoid duplication and overlapping ; and (2) To provide comforts and amenities for men and women on active service overseas and in camps in New Zealand. The work of Provincial Patriotic Councils is to provide sports gear for men in camps in New Zealand, woollen goods for men in New Zealand and overseas, quarterly gift parcels, hospitality services whilst men are on leave, and, lastly, to provide funds for the after-care of our service men and women over and above any Government assistance that may be available. In this latter connection it is interesting to note that the Patriotic Funds of the last war, held at 31st March, 1919, amounted to £1,509,557 for this purpose. The administration expenses of the Board for the year ended 30th September, 1942, were 2s. Bd. per cent, of receipts. This low figure is due in a large measure to the action of the Government in paying the salaries of the office staff and rent of Board's offices, for which the Board again expresses its grateful thanks. From the inception of the funds up to 30th September, 1942, approximately £3,500,000 was collected by patriotic organizations. 111. General Work by Expending Agents (a) Role of Expending Agents.—The Board again wishes to stress the fact that the major part of its work in New Zealand and overseas is done through established welfare organizations. This fact is often overlooked by members of the Forces and by contributors to patriotic funds, who imagine that, because the names or badges of the staffing organizations are prominently identified with the war work done by them, that work is financed by the staffing organizations. The Board generously recognizes and appreciates the splendid services given by these organizations, but wishes to point out that every penny spent by its various expending agents on war work comes from patriotic funds. The major expending agents for fighting services overseas are the Y.M.C.A. and the Church Army, and in New Zealand the Y.M.C.A., Salvation Army, Church Army, and Catholic War Services Fund Board. In addition, the Navy League War Council attends to the requirements of naval personnel in respect of woollen comforts, &c., and the Air Force Relations supervises the work of providing woollen comforts, &c., to Air Force personnel. The Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Bed Cross Society is the sole expending agent of patriotic funds for sick, wounded, and prisoners of war. The other expending agents, together with the spheres of work allotted, have been fully dealt with in previous reports. (Ib) Set up of Patriotic Organizations.—The following chart briefly shows the patriotic organization established for the collection and expenditure of patriotic funds :—

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Receipts from Provincial , , /T . Patriotic Councils and Payments during Year ucge ( M ima e ( xother Sources during ended 30th September, pe " dltur ® J ear Year ended 30th 1942. « nd, "g th Se P tem ' September, 1942. ber - 1943 )' £ £ £ General .. .. .. 569,568 564,575 567,000 Sick and wounded .. .. 57,562 107,687 114,000 Prisoners of war .. .. 160,948 135,533 448,500 Totals .. .. 788,078 807,795 1,129,500