METHOD OF DISPOSING OF PARCELS

Southland Times, Issue 24880, 21 October 1942, Page 4

METHOD OF DISPOSING OF PARCELS

Deceased Soldiers (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 20. The disposal of parcels which arrive in the Middle East addressed to personnel of the N.Z.E.F. who are deceased, missing or prisoners was explained in a statement by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. He said these parcels were always disposed of by issue to the unit to which the addressee belonged, the contents being distributed among the men of the unit. This system had been adopted since the first casualties in Greece and was to be followed in the case of tobacco parcels addressed to casualties of the abovementioned categories. Every endeavour was made to distribute parcels to wounded addressees and few went astray, but when a soldier had returned to New Zealand any parcel for him was also sent to his late unit. The Minister said the suggestion that such parcels should be sent to the Red Cross for distribution among prisoners was impracticable because the number of parcels for prisoners was limited and there would thus be an accumulation and wastage of parcels. It was considered that senders would far rather the contents were distributed among the addressees’ mates than that they should be sent back. Any article of sentimental value or for which there appeared to be any particular reason for its return was invariably posted back to the sender.