PRISONERS' PARCELS

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 246, 19 October 1942, Page 4

PRISONERS' PARCELS

WITHDRAWAL OF ARTICLES EXPLAINED. P.A. WELLINGTON, Oct. 19. According to the Prisoners of War Inquiry Office, there are now 6863 New Zealanders officially notified as prisoners of war, and four unofficially notified. Shorts are; now allowed to be sent in personal parcels. Service badges and medal ribbons may also be sent by next-of-kin in " their quarterly parcels. The office receives from time to time ietters from next-of-kin stating that their personal parcels have been acknowledged by the prisoners. but with articles missing. An official explanation from the British Red Cross is that parcels are often damaged before arrival at Lisbon, bv sea water or from O'ther oaiises;. These parcels are repacked in, Lisbon, and any articles which are so badly darn•aged. a,s to be usieless are * withdrawn. The parcel, therefore, arrives in the camps in an undamaged condition, but with articles missing. The Post Office has arranged in future for a, slip1 to be put inside at Lisbon by the Portuguese authorities stating that. articles have been taken out. Non-receipt of acknowlegment, cards for personal parcels sent by next-of-kin sometimcs cause anxiety. but last week acknowledgment cards were received for piarcels handed to prisoners as far back as February and March. whereas scme weeks ago acknowledgment cards had returned to New Zealand for parcels received by prisoners as, late as June, This shows inconsistency of the mails. Next-of-kin do not, have to withhold their parcel till they receive1 a, camp address, as the London label is issued, and in this type of case the parcei is sent to and redirected from London, v—