PATRIOTIC PARCELS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 13, 8 October 1943, Page 5

PATRIOTIC PARCELS

CHRISTMAS TOBACCO

J )ETACUED I'EIISO XXE L

For some nights now women volunteers and a lew men have been packing in tlie National Patriotic Fund Board Store in Wellington,-op-posite. the Public Library, largesize tins with cigarettes, tobacco,' and cigarette papers to provide the customary special Christmas gift from the people of the Dominion for detached units of the New Zealand Forces overseas. New Zea-. landers serving in the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy anil also Army personnel who are not with any large body of New Zealand troops will receive these parcels.

To meet requirements 8.550 tins are being packed, each tin being filled with JS packets of cigarettes, six packets, of tobacco, and. six packets of cigarette papers. The 8550 tins will contain a total of 1.539,000 cigarettes. 102,592 ounces of tobacco and 51,300 books of cigarette papers. To protect the tobacco against climatic conditions in transit, the- lid of each tin is .sealed around tha edges with, adhesive tape. Each tin is then av rapped in strong brown paper., the overlapping edges of which are. also sealed with gummed strips. There are 40 tins to a ca.s* a ink each case has to be wired fov transport. A card bearing the following. inscription is placed in each, tin: "The duty you are fulfilling as a member of His Majesty s 1- orces detached from the main units makeit difficult lor us to contact you as regularly as we would like. You arc, however, constantly in our thoughts, and we take this opportunity of wishing you the compliments of the season and an early return home. May God bless you is the earnest prayer of the people of New Zealand.—From the National Patriotic Fund Board on behalf of the people of New Zealand." Packing Rivalry Mothers, sweethearts, and even grandmothers are among the women who have been packing these special parcels. A friendly rivalry exists between these volunteers, the team engaged each night being out to exceed the total packed the previous nights; on the next succeeding nights the totals were 14, 10. 23 and IS. It is expected that the balance of the parcels will be -packed by the end of this week.

In addition to these special tobacco,, parcels for detached personnel,, provision is made through the Provincial Patriotic Councils for the assembly of general gift parcels, of'an average value, of about 10s each, and these are .sent once a quarter for the benefit .of all members of the New Zealand Forccs

serving overseas. It is .sometimes moatbs alter the departure of patriotic. gift parcels from New Zealand that they are received by some of the detached personnel. Transfers can be made very rapidly in fhe services and if that happens alter a parcel is on its way to a particular destination there is nothing, much that, can be done about it until it arrives there. However, even, if a parcel has been chasing a serviceman for months, letters received by the Patriotic; Fund Hoard show that the parcel is ju>t as much appreciated; in fact, Avith the knowledge the. serviceman -will have of, the efforts that, have been made to> run him to earth his appreciation in those circumstances is probably the' greater. The letters also show that the. recipients are proud to know that the parcels have been sent on behalf o/ the people of Zealand. Referring, to one. of the general gift parcels, a New Zealandcr serving in a Ueyal Naval, ship in the Mediterranean, said in a letter recently that ihs~ greatcst satisfaction of ail was net in the contents, -which were uniformly good,, but in the. realisation thaL

"one's service overseas is being appreciated by so many at home."' "Nevertheless," lie added, "at present# I am greatly enjoying a .slice of delicious fruit cake, the like of whichis only to he found in dear New Zealand . . . Your organisation for distributing must, be very comprehensive, for in all my time away from home T have never been witha group of my countrymen . . Letters such this one are a dis-*-tinet encouragement to 'the' patriot tic organisation and to those who** give such valuable help to the Pat-* riotic Board, and the eleven Provincial Patriotic Councils, whose many responsibilities include the raising , of all patriotic funds, both for national and provincial purposes, andthe provision of the large number of gift parcels now required each* quarter.