Application for peace celebrations subsidy

This form was completed by the Wellington City Council in order to receive the government’s peace celebrations subsidy. It details the Council's principal items of expenditure, which included decorations and fireworks.

Correspondence shows that the Council initially completed the form in December 1918 but included an amount for peace souvenirs which the Department of Internal Affairs subsequently advised could not be subsidised. They reapplied using the same form in January 1919, deleting this item and making minor changes to two others.

The subsidy

The government appropriated £31,500 for peace celebrations in New Zealand, an amount equivalent to more than $2.5 million dollars in 2009 terms. Most of this money was spent on subsidies to local bodies. A statement prepared in January 1920 showed that a total of £22,935 16s 8d had been paid. The report noted that a large subsidy was still to be paid to Auckland City Council, and it appears that other areas had not yet filed applications.

The statement indicates that spending varied greatly from community to community.  Several areas spent less than £10 on their celebrations, but most spent tens or hundreds of pounds, with only the main centres spending thousands.