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Details of stores received and requisitions placed overseas during tlie year are as under:— Value of receipts — £(N.Z.) From United Kingdom .. .. .. .. 41,500 From Australia .. .. .. .. 3,200 £44,700 Estimated value of requisitions— On United Kingdom .. .. .. .. 86,200 On Australia .. .. .. .. 1,100 £87,300 At all depots, acute shortages of staff have prevented preservation work being carried out on much valuable equipment, but every endeavour is being made with the staff, materials, and facilities available to maintain equipment in good condition. Inspecting Ordnance Officers' Group This group has been fully occupied in the inspection and repair of large stocks of all types of ammunition and explosives, and, in addition, has carried out a considerable programme involving the destruction of unserviceable ammunition and explosives and the preparation of further unserviceable ammunition for dumping. Bay Accounts War Service Gratuity.—During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1948, 7,643 war service gratuity applications were received, bringing the total applications lodged to 227,410. The total amount deposited to war service gratuity Post Office accounts to 31st March, 1948, was £20,142,075, of which £679,008 was deposited during the year ended 31st March, 1948. Overseas Leave.—ln October, 1946, the Government decided that the scale of overseas leave —viz., two days leave for each month of overseas service—was to be made retrospective to the beginning of the war to cover periods of service before the inauguration of that scale on 19th April, 1944. Up to 31st March, 1948, 9,382 applications for payment in lieu of leave were received ; 3,247 during the year under review. Final Pay.—The number of accounts of returned soldiers brought to completion during the year totalled 3,932. Amounts unclaimed. —A check of all pay accounts is being carried out to ascertain what payments, issuable on application, have not yet been claimed, and forms of application are being forwarded to the ex-soldiers concerned at their last-known address. Base Records Personal Files.—Base Records now holds all original personal files for Army personnel (Second World War) with the exception of those of the N.Z. Regular Force and of officers of the Territorial, Interim Army, and N.Z.W.A.O. It also holds a file for each application for war service gratuity dealt with on behalf of the R.N.Z.A.F. and R.N.Z.N. and the files of ballotees who were not mobilized. The personal files held total approximately 445,000.

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