PATRIOTIC PARCELS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 06, Issue 96, 6 August 1943, Page 2

PATRIOTIC PARCELS

N.Z. FORCES OVERSEAS "ONE OF ROMANCES OF WAR'* When 1 lie patriotic gift parcels scheme was started for the NewZealand Forces overseas it was not introduced as a major activity. The object was to ensure, as far as transport. difficulties would allow, that parcels were received at intervals from the Dominion as a whole to supplement those sent direct by relatives and friends and in particular to make provision for men with low relatives. All members ol' the lorces, however, are keen about, the patriotic parcels", which cost on the average about - each. They are the subject of special mention in the 'latest report received from the Patriotic Board Commissioner in the Middle East, Lieutenant-Colonel Waite. Writing after the North African campaign he says: "We .sent up to Tripoli, by sea, all the parcels- we had, and most of our stock of gift cigarettes- and all the tobacco. Variety of food was non-existent in Tripoli, and the distribution ol' the parcels and cigarettes at the advanced was much appreciated. Men once again got some welcome variety into their 'tucker boxes.' "This gift parcels scheme is one of the romances of the Avar. We think that New Zealand, Avomcn in every city and every little ■country district get . the.se parcels packed : that they come over 10,000 miles of sea-way in wartime, and eventually get to the boys in their faraway desert biA*ouac:s., is nothing* less than a modern miracle. We are indebted to every branch of the Second N.Z.E.F., from the highest administrative officers down to the N.Z.A.S.C. drivers, for "their prac-

tical help and interest. The contents ol the parcels coulcl hardly be bettered. The inclusion of small books or magazines is a. great imj)ioAcmeiit. Ihe other two items wnich are very scarcc and expensive here, are writing paper and playing cards. Ordinary playing Crtrdsi cost from 5s to 8s a pack.. Even the little packs of patience cards printed in New Zealand are received with great joy. "You may get. complaints from time to time that some boys do not get parcels. Every unit gets what it shows on its, ration strength,, and if a man mi.sses his parcel he complains right away. A few men are always" absent Avithout leave. They might miss. Those who are in Punishment Centre or in detention outside the 2nd N.Z.Jv.F. arc not, allowed to get parcels, under- British rules. hn many cases avc cannot oA'crcome this. But in general, CA'ery man gets, a parcel; if he does not, it is not our fault." Colonel Waite refers to the. ar-ri\-al of more material for making ice cream and delicacies for the Maori Battalion, and praises the type and condition of another consignment of books sjent for the libraries. "Our sincere thanks." he adds, "are due to the New Zealand Library Association and the Wellington Returned Services' Association, whose names seem to appear most frequently on the stamps in thi.s consignment of books."