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for the next year. The principal factor, however, affecting the activities of the Board during the year was the victory in Europe and later in Japan. This resulted in a change in planning comforts for combatant troops, and necessitated the provision of increased sports gear and amenities for the leisure-time of servicemen in many theatres of war. In the earlier part of the year the patriotic war comforts services was progressively extended through the islands of the Pacific, and also through Italy, as our Forces advanced in each of these war theatres. In Italy long supply routes over difficult country had to be covered as the Division advanced, but, due to meritorious work on the part of the Board's Commissioner in the Middle East and his staff, these difficulties were successfully overcome. When the Germans in Italy capitulated on 2nd May, 1945, the Division had reached Trieste, where local recreation facilities and amenities were provided to entertain the men in their new role as an occupying Force. A brief indication of the work involved in the world-wide ramifications of the patriotic comforts organization is obtainable from the following particulars. The total number of prisoners-of-war food parcels packed during the war by voluntary workers attached to the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society numbered 1,139,624, representing 5,633 tons weight. Approximately 1,500,000 woollen garments were knitted voluntarily and issued during the war period. From the inception of the Board's postal tobacco scheme in January, 1942, to 30th September, 1945, 140,321 parcels of cigarettes and tobacco (62f tons) were packed and despatched to the Forces, apart from considerable supplies sent in bulk for free issues and in Christmas parcels. From the commencement of the Board's postal chocolate scheme to 30th September, 1945,144,469 packs of chocolate were sent from New Zealand, representing approximately 129 tons. Since the inception of the New Zealand Lady G-alway Patriotic Guild to the •end of September, 1945, approximately 8,351 cases of garments were sent to the United Kingdom. Unaddressed quarterly patriotic gift parcels sent to servicemen and servicewomen overseas for the period of the war totalled 1,129,000. This summary does not include the provision and servicing of recreation huts and buffets, rest centres, and clubs in different parts of the world, the supplying of newspapers, books and periodicals, writing-paper and envelopes, extra comforts for sick and wounded and to hospital ships and transports, the equipping of bands, concert parties, provision of mobile cinemas and canteens, and many other major ■activities, many of which were operated by welfare organizations as expending agents •of the Board. From the commencement of the war to the end of September, 1945, a total of £11,236,263, was handled by patriotic organizations in New Zealand, as follows : £ Expended by Board and its expending agents .. .. 7,538,105 Expended by Provincial Patriotic Councils .. .. .. 1,629,088 Cash in hand — Board .. .. .. .. .. .. 601,312 Provincial Patriotic Councils .. .. .. .. 1,467,758 £11,236,263. It will be seen that there is a reserve of approximately £2,000,000 which is to be used mainly for welfare work for returned servicemen and servicewomen to supplement Government assistance in cases of hardship not covered by existing legislation.

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