Parcels for England

Levin Daily Chronicle, 25 April 1918, Page 4

Parcels for England

MANY PROHIBITIONS. WELLINGTON, Last Night.

' Although it is now made quite clear that parcels for New Zealand soldiers : at the front will be allowed to go '! through England without challenge, the I publication in this week's "Gazette" I of two long columns of articles which , must not be imported into England exi cept under license from the Board of Trade shows that the practice of New , Zealanders of sending friends in Eng- ; land articles of diet to supplement the food rations in England must be followed with great discretion, otherwise the recipients will be rendered liable to prosecution. The principle underlying this general control is to make the administration of the rationing absolutely uniform, regardless of the social position or resources of individuals. Any evasion of the scheme will undermine it, for a great deal depends on the absolute loyalty of the population to the restrictions which have been imposed ; for national safety in an emergency. As a guide to those who have been sending parcels to friends in England, I quote from the list all those articles of | food the importation of which, except ; under license, is rigidly prohibited: Bacon, butter, preparations of cocoa, cocoa, coffee, fruit (canned, bottled and ; preserved, except currants), hams, lard (other than neutral lard), lobsters, canned, tea, salmon canned, sugar articles and preparations containing sugar (except condensed milk), molasses, invert sugar, and all other sugars and extracts from sugar which cannot be completely tested by the polariscope and on which Customs is not otherwise charged. A note to the last item reads: "Small gift parcels of sugar may be forwarded by post to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces.'' As the list is so extensive, it would bo wise for anyone who contemplates forwarding any kind of parcel to England to consult the Customs or Postal authorities before making up the consignment. For instance embroidery and : needlework and soap are among the j "barred" articles.