THE GIFTS QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 9, 5 October 1917, Page 2

THE GIFTS QUESTION

TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES.' Mrs. Solland, luayoross of Christchurch, has forwarded to Mrs. A. Crawford (lion, secretary of the Countess of Li'verpool Fund Committee) tho following information received by the Christclnirch ''Press" from its London correspondent relative to the delivery of gift goods to soldiers on active service. After having interviewed several members of the heao. quarters staff, who were specially concerned in this side of the administration, the correspondent finds that there is very little miscarriage of goods, but a good deal of delay, which was quite unavoidable, and which occurs almost entirely between the coastal ports in France and the front lines. Major A. Greene, M.C., officer in charge of the gifts section, informed the correspondent that ho had made inquiry of Colonel Plugge as to the arrival of gifts, and he was told that the latter knew of no case.where they did not arrive. Colonel Charters, commanding Otago Battalion, having 6eeji the discussion in tho j New Zealand papers, wrote to Major Greene, volunteering the information that parcels for his battalion had always arrived regularly, and that they were very much appreciated by the men. Writing to Mrs. Gunson, Major Greene describes the procedure: All gifts are received at the port and taken under escort to the New Zealand stores at Southampton Docks, where they are at once entered in the books on a regular debit and credit system. They are then sorted and apportioned amongst the units at the front, according to their rationed strength, and forwarded forthwith to Franco as soon as""shipping is available. Nothing.is kept in stock at all in the stores at Southampton. They are signed for iif France by the military forwarding officer, and he, in turn, gets the signature "of the officer or n.c.o. representing the unit to which the goods are addressed. All these receipts come back to the New Zealand headquarters, and are kept for record, together with numberless letters of acknowledgment and appreciation. "Our method," says Major Greene, "is all 'gifts to France, and not any to camps in England. The hoys in tho front lines must be considered first, theii the depot units in France, and then the infantry base ami training depots.' Supplies and munitions must, of course, have first consideration, and gift goods can obviously only bo forwarded as l'oom is availablo on transport, train/or motor lorry. We have, no claim to regular transport, but wo have received, every' possiblo assistance from the authorities." Major Green stated quite clearly that the lime usually occupied between dispatch in New Zealand and receipt in tho trenches is live months, so tlyit it will easily be understood that Christmas goods must be sent away a great deal earlier than has been the praolice in the past. Another cause of delay was the continual changing of men from reinforcement to reinforcement, from unit to unit, and camp to camp.

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