CONCENTRATED FOODS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 55, 28 November 1917, Page 5

CONCENTRATED FOODS

VALUABLE AT THE FRONT

Some time ago, Mr. L. O. H. Tripp suggested that concentrated foods, such as soup tabloids, milk tabloids, etc., should bo sent to our Forces serving in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Tho Wairarapa Patriotic Association took the matter up, and has been sending money to the High Commissioner for New Zealand for tho purchase of these goods. • The following is a copy of a letter received by Mr. Tripp from tho High Commissioner, and also a copy of Lieutenant J. W. Melville's letter:—

"September 27, 1917. "Dear Mr. Tripp, Wairarapa Patriotic Society.—Referring to my letter of Juno 15 last, in which I informed you that the eighteen cases of concentrated foods which were sent to Cairo for tho use of members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Porce serving in Egypt had been lost at sea, I have now much pleasure in advising you that a letter haß just been received from Lieuten-ant-Colonel Chaytor, the Commandant, in which he states that thirteen out of the eighteen cases have been salved and delivered to him in good order. He also states that the second consignment which was sent to replace tho cases which were believed lost havo arrived, together with tho fourteen cases which were ordered on behalf of the Women's Branch of tho Wairarapa Patriotic Society, in accordance with the instructions contained in your letter of April 11 last. I attach hereto a copy of a letter received from tho officer commanding, New Zealand Wireless Troop, Bagdad, Mesopotamia, from which I feel sure you will be gratified to know that the idea -originally suggested by. yourself, of sending concentrated foods to our soldiers in tropical countries, has met_ with such great appreciation. You will notice that he states that each man of the troop received a parcel, notwithstanding the fact that the men aro stationed in out-of-way and isolated places. There is hardly time yet for an acknowledgment to be received of the seven cases which were dispatched on behalf of tho Women's Branch of tho Wairarapa Patriotic Society.— Yours sincerely,

(Sgd.) "THOMAS MACKENZIE." "Bagdad, Mesopotamia, "August 10, 1917. "The High Commissioner for Now Zealand, 415 Strand, London, W.O. •

"Sir—l am .pleased to be able to inform youi that the five cases of comforts forwarded through the Civil Service Co-operative Society by you in March last have reached us in Bagdad. Each man of the troop in Mesopotamia has received a parcel. Mr. Tripp's suggestion of small, portable packages is a good one. I have written to tho Wairarapa Patriotic Society, thanking them for the very" useful "and muchneeded gift. As over fifty per cent, of my trcKDs are stationed in out-of-way and isc'ated places, the concentrated foods •wil* be most acceptable to them. The contents of tho parcels are really most suitable, and I congratulate you on tho excellent selection. A slight improvement might lie gained by substituting malted milk tabloids for tho thirst tabloids, the latter, to my knowledge, not proving a great success. "(Signed) J. W. MELVILLE, Lieutenant, "O.C. N.Z. "Wireless Troop, "Anzac Wireless Squadron."