BIG BUYING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 63, 10 June 1942, Page 2

BIG BUYING

COMFORTS FOR FORCES

HH'AXT S^HYK'K

To provide com I oris lor the ;aigc

number of men serving in the New Zealand Forces on land, sea, and in the air involves buying in bulk- on a big scale to supplement gil'ts made and presented by the people el the Dominion. A special department ol the National Patriotic I'und Board attends to this important work, not only to meet the Board's own requirements but also in order to assist the Provincial Patriotic Coun-

oils to some extent

Cocoa and mi lie powder, codec and mi]U, and items: of part kind to enable refreshments to be provided in the institutional huts in the camps have to be ordered regularly. Ihe orders are on a scale to make housewives gasp. Recently in one- day cocoa and milk powder for use in certain recreational huts in New Zealand was required. The order was for three tons.

Stationery Requirements

There was an order for 10,000,000 sheets ol' writing paper and a similar quantity of envelopes. Already 3.000,000 sheets of paper of this order have been delivered. New Zealanders have the reputation of being good letter writers, and the accounts of the Board for stationery bear testimony! that the members of the Forces are not neglecting their correspondence. Writing paper and envelopes last year cost approximately £10,000. To assist Provincial Patriotic Councils in making up parcels for despatch overseas, the Board some weeks ago placed orders for tinned fruits —208,000 lib tins. Orders for recreational equipment and various indoor games are also large. For example, approximately every live months an order is placed for 50 gross of draught sets —172,800 pieces. Radio- sets have been provided for both overseas and in the Dominion. Most have gone overseas. Recently It was decided to supply some further sets for troops in outlying parts of the Pacific, and the greater part of an orcler for .10 sets now being executed is for these men. The radio sets are specially adapted to meet overseas conditions; some arc electric models, but most are bnt-tery-operated. Sets have been provided for recreation huts in New Zealand, for men guarding vital points, and also for the men serving in naval units. All the men serving at sea are looked after. They receive parcels from time to time and also- recreational equipment. One day recently, equipment put aboard a small naval unit included the following: Dart boards and darts, crib boards, sets of draughts, quoits, boxing gloves, punching bags, sets of playing cards, table tennis sets, skipping ropes and a medicine ball. It will be appreciated from the examples given that not only is it necessary to buy in a big way, but also, that substantial funds are required to maintain such a service. Another responsibility of the Board is to see to the packing and despatch of goods received through the Provincial Patriotic Councils. Lately large quantities of woollen comforts have been packed for use by men on home defence duly during the winter months. At the liresent time some 5000 cases of gift parcels are coming forward from the Provinces for shipment overseas. Tile checking examination, and. where neeessary, repair of cases is no mean task.