GIFT TOBACCO

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3035, 23 March 1917, Page 6

GIFT TOBACCO

GtJMPLAINTS AS TO QUALITY.

Some time ago a statement was published in a New Zealand paper that the gift cigarettss and tobacco distributed to our troops were the "rankest condemned! stuff . that was ever, sold:" The Defence.JVlinister sent the statement to England for inquiry, and he has now received replies from' General Richardson and Chaplain-Major Greene, who is in charge of tho distribution of gift goods among the men in the field.

General Richardson states: "The tobacco purchased through this office is of the best quality. Undoubtedly large quantities of gift tobacco from other sources ,is absolute rubbish. : I have been the recipient of sonic of the lat-ter-in the field."

. "Chaplain Greene writes: "If-the people of: New Zealahd who are so liberally ' inclined would send on the mondy to Headquarters here in London, to bo spent for them, a much better brand of tobacco i-nd a larger amount would be procured. We have our own bond 6tore, where we have every facility for purchasing in 'bond! all consignments- of dutiable goods.. There are no middlemens, profits and the' New Zealand troops' receive all the advantages of an .up-to-date system. We cannot he responsible for the quality Of the tobacco and cigarettes merely sent to us for forwarding.", These two reports furnish information which ought to be useful to occasional .contributors to gift tobacco funds.