TOBACCO FOR TROOPS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 5, 19 January 1942, Page 2

TOBACCO FOR TROOPS

NEW PATRIOTIC SERVICE

REDUCED PRICES

The National Patriotic Fund Hoard is inaugurating a postal tobacco scheme s from to-day to enable next-of-k'n and friends in New Zealand to send at specially reduced prices popular brands of cigarettes, cig-

arette-tobacco, and pipe tobacco, to of the New Zealand Forces stationed in the United Kingdom, Canada. Fiji and elsewhere overseas, except in the Middle Fast. It is regretted that at this juncture prisoners of war and the New Zealand Forces in the Middle East cannot be included, but negotiations are proceeding and the Board hopes it may be possible to announce shortly the extension of the scheme to embrace all members of the New Zea.-a.nd Forces overseas, irrespective of where they arc serving, as well as the New Zealand prisoners of Avar. The new service owes its origin to steps taken to devise some satisfactory schemc under which it would be possible to ensure supplies of New Zealand cigarettes and tobacco being sent to New Zea.antlers serving in the Royal Air torce In the United Kingdom and also to the' members of other units in Britain detached from the main Nev\ Zealand Forces. This was a matter which was taken up by the Piinie Minister (Mr Fraser) when lie was in Britain and it has since been possible by negotiation and through the co-operation of the overseas government to "widen the scope of the Hv'ginal plan. Simple Procedure

The procedure to be followed by people in the Dominion who wish to take advantage of the scheme is simple. All they have to do is to fill in a form on which they will give' their name and address and the number name and address of the recipient, indicate by means of a cross in a square alongside the brands which they desire to have despatched, and pay for the cost of. the gocds. The New Zealand Retai* Tobacconists' and Hairdressers' Federation and the Master Grocers Association are co-operating with thfc National Patriotic Fund Board in the operation of the service, and til' special order form may be obtained at authorised tobacconists' and othei stores. The form ig perforated and so devised that sections may be detached to g : .ve the sender a receipt when he places his order, and al.->o so that he may be aclvised when lm parcel has been sent, and to enable the National Patriotic Fund Board to keep a complete record of tIK whole transaction. The advice slip sent by the National Patriotic Fund Board when the parcel has been despatched will have stamped on it n serial number which will also hav p stamped on the section of the form serving as the label for the package and c.n which the sender, when he ordered the goods, will have written the number, name and adi dress of the soldier, sailor or nirl man recipient. The object of the double stamping of the serial number is to enable the purchaser, when writing' to the addressee advising him of the despatch of the parcel, to quote the number. Remittances, together with the orders taken, arc to be forwarded by the tobacconists | to the National Patriotic Fund Board in Wellington at least weekly. Brands and Prices It has not been found possible at this stage to include in the scheme rtll brands of tobacco and cigarettes obtainable on the New Zealand market, but 21 brands are offered (six of cigarettes, eight o! cigarette tobacco and seven of pipe tobacco), and these have been selected, after discussion with representatives of the tobacconists' organisation. No order will be accepted for less than 200 cigarettes or lib of tobacco, and purchasers will not be able to make ap this amount by selecting part ol one brand or part of another. When more than one brand is. required a separate order for each brand must be placed.

The Government has made arrangements for the National Patriotic Fund Board to be supplied with stocks out of bond, and this enables the Board to offer the cigarettes and tobacco at greatly reduced prices. For example, including \/~ for postage and !)d for the of a tin fc<r {jacking, 111) of any of six brands of cigarette tobacco together with eight packets of cigarette l papers may be sent under the scheme for 11/-., For a similar quantity of any of the same brands of cigarettes and papers bought in the ordinary way, plus 1/- for postage and 9d for the packing tin, the cost would be approxi(Continued in next column)

mately 20/-. Thus there is a saving of 9/-. Similarly, the cost of sending cigarettes and pipe tobacco is also substantially less under the new postal service, the savings being approximately 5/- on 200 cigarettes and 9/- on lib of pipei tobacco. Customs Duty Concession The parcels of cigarettes and tobacco are 1 to be admitted duty free to the countries to which they may be sent under the scheme, ancl it is important that the privilege that has been extended in this respect should not be abused. To ensure that this will be observed, the date of despatch of every parcel will be recorded, and if it is found that one man is receiving more than he could reasonably smoke each month the next-of-kin or sender Avill be advised accordingly. A note will be included in each pared which will, advise the recipient that the Customs duty concession has been granted on the distinct understanding that none of the cigarettes or tobacco will be used for trade. The' message will also add to the compliments of the sender the best wishes and thanks of the people of New Zealand.

A special room for the packing, recording and despatch of the l parcels has been esctablished by the National Patriotic Fund Board in its premises in Wellington. The packing will be done by members of the Women's War Service Auxiliary.