LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2822, 13 July 1916, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

SENDING MONEY TO SOLDIERS

Sir,—ln Friday's Dominion there appears a paragraph iu reference to cabling money to soldiers at Home, caro of various codo addresses which the Post and Telegraph Department will not recognise, and tho paragraph referred to says: "Bvidontly, such instructions hnvo been given these people in letters from their soldier relatives and friends, and they have simply followed instructions to tho letter. Many people havo attempted to übo the addresses 'care Vanquished,' etc., etc."

Being one of those parents who has lately cabled money Home to a son who is serving -with the. New Zealanders, I was interested in reading tho above, as the money was cabled "Care Vanquished," London, and on the suggestion and advice of the Nelson Post, and Telegraph Department, whp informed mo that "Vanquished" was the code word fot the High Commissioner for New Zealand.

Tho paragraph further states "neither of these code words could be recognised, and.in each case the cables had to be altered to 'oare Deputy,' which is the codo word for the High Commissioner for Now Zealand."

If this is correct, why did the Nelson Post and Telegraph Department tell me "Vanquished" was the code word for the High Commissioner for New Zealand? And do I gather from the paragraph referred to that all these cables have been altered to "Care Depnty," ami have been handed to those for whom they were intended?

I am very anxious for yonr reply, as 1 cabled iCIO to one of my sons in Egypt on February 26 last, and oil May 18 (nearly three months late) he had not received the money, although the Bank of New Zealand here, when the money was paid in to the public account to bis forwardri to the Defence Department in Wellington, ruirl br them to bo remitted (o Cairo, which was done promptly, assured me that tho Defence Department at Cairo kept a staff purposely to ascertain tho whereabouts of, soldiers, and deliver these, rubles promptly. Afi far as I can learn, no attempt was nmdo in Cairo to deliver the cable to my son, although ho was there till April fl, when ho embarked for Prance, and when he made innuiries in Franco at tho paymaster's 'office, 1 he was informed tliat there was a cable for him at Cairo, but the matter o'f delivering it had been overlooked. Not much satisfaction in this. ;

The soldiers complain terribly of the fnod, both ou the transport and in E<rvnt. and a great deal of it has been repulsive. At the date of my son's Inst let+ev from Northern lie says "all wo have for breakfast is drv bread and cheese." He did not complain about this, bnt "nly mentioned it in a casual way. When the soldiers have food like some of them have been having. and I speak after reading letters from the soldiers themselves, and by conversing with returned men, monev is required to bny food, and when these blunders are made in delivering cables of money sent it is most annoying.—T am, etc.,

Nelson, Jnly 10, 1916. [Our correspondent's itimiiry was submitted to the Post anrl Teipgranh Department. which furnishes t'>e following reply: " 'Vnnnmsher' (not "Vanquished") ic the code address of a branch of the Headquarters of the New Zealand Tlxnoditioimry Forco in London. The Chief Postmaster. Nelson, is said not to have informed the'writ" that it was tho code address of the Hich Commissioner for New Zealand. Ppvnte cablo messages may he sent to soldiers care nf 'Vanquisher,' London, advisimr them that monev has been remitted through a bank. The bank here, in cabling the amount to its London office, miy include Ihe code word 'Deputv' f'Donut.v' bointr the code address of the Hi?h Ooinmisstoner), lint not the code word 'V? nqi'jsher,' after the name of the payee.]