BAD PACKING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2656, 30 December 1915, Page 6

BAD PACKING

FOOD-STUFFS FOR SOLDIERS. Having to handle a great many of the parcels and goods which come to hand to be forwarded to the camps, and hospitals in New Zealand and "abroad, the Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke) is at times apt to express her feelings at tlie manlier in which people pack goods that are to travel over thousands of miles of sea and land. In conversation with a Dominion reporter yesterday, Mrs. Luke said that she got into hot water at times for her criticisms in such matters. Then she drew the reporter's attention to a case of goods sent from tho country by some kind-hearted person. At the side of tlie case was a little pool of liquid jam, and on opening tlie case it was found that at least three or four jars of the many wero'leaking'through their pap'pr wrapper tops. Some of tho jam had already begun to spread itself on some very nice iced_ cakes which were beginning to disintegrate through being knocked by the jam jars. It was a very fine case of the best of provisions, and Mrs. Luke saw that it was divided between the hospital cupboard' and the camp at- Trentham. Mrs. Luke believes that the only really safe way to send cake to Egypt is to solder it up in half or quarter kerosene fins. From tho way in which-.much_of tho stuff arrives at the Town Hall it is easy to understand why a- lot of foodstuffs has never readied those to whom it is addressed in Egypt or Gallipoli.