DELIVERY OF MAILS FOR THE TROOPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2521, 23 July 1915, Page 7

DELIVERY OF MAILS FOR THE TROOPS

I DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. ■• Several references were made in .the House of Representatives yesterday to the' delay in the delivery of letters to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force at the front. In the corn-go of a statement on tlie subject the Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. Allen) said that some people did not address their letters sufficiently. The Government had communicated with Egypt suggesting that some experts should be sent from the Postal Department. here to 'strengthen the staff in Egypt, but no reply had'been received to the suggestion. It was difficult to trace the cause of letters going astray.

Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) referred to" a ease where a mpther bad sent her son £3. It cost her 20s. to send that amount, and tho boy never received the money.

•Mr. Allen saidthat he could not do anything; moro with regard-to sending money than had.- been promised. They would consolidate sums of money and remit it to Egypt once a week or so, at a minimum of cost. If people would send money on their , own account the Defence Department could not bo responsible for it: Mr;- W. T. Jennings (Taumarunui) asked why the letters had not reached the Dardanelles.

: . Mr. Allen: A largo mail was landed, at the Dardanelles, but members will understand that our men are mixed up with tho Australians, the Indians, and all . sorts of people. A member; Aid with the Turks! (Laughter.) • Mr. Allen: Well, they are rather mixed up. (Laughter.) Ho hoped members would realise the diffioulty of delivering the letters, i They were apparently at the base in tho Dardanelles, waiting for delivery. ' ' In . a subsequent statement Mr. 'Allen referred to the 'statement (which appeared iu yesterday's Dominion) ,;maae by Mr. Green ;of the Bank of New Zealand. In this connection he said that the parents and'relatives of / soldiers should bo on their guard, ,'ai : some telegrams that were riot' believed to be genuine had been received from Egypt. Mr. H. Poland (Dhinemuri) suggested that thoseinterested should send -remittances only through the Bank of New Zealaud or through tne Defence Department.' S .. Mf. Allen: That is what I suggest. Mr. A. M. Myers (Auckland East)' asked whether the Minister of Defence would reconsider the question of opening a special bureau of information in Egypt, but the Minister .said a bureau such as ; Mr. Myers suggested would only lead to confusion. ■