ARMY BLANKETS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3424, 2 March 1920, Page 6

ARMY BLANKETS.

Acting upon instructions from the Imperial Government, the Defence Department has for some days past been conducting in Wellington a sale of blankets used on troopships employed in ‘bringing back the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The blanketxs are not of the New Zealand issue, but of it somewhat heavier texture. and somewhat larger in size.

Since Friday last, when the sale was coinnienceci, a small staff at K shed on the waterfront -has been engaged in receiving and dispatching: orders. Between 15,000 and 20,000 blankets were offered, and of this number about 5000 lmve been disposed of at reasonable prices to the public, while other large consignments have also been dispatched to various hospitals and charitable institutions. The public demand has been extremely large, and it has been found necessary to confine the hours of sale

to the period between 11 am. and

1.30 pm. daily. Nof only have the orders from local sources been heavy. but the officers in charge have been inundated with requisitions from pri!vate families and various boards in all parts of the country. The prices !of the blankets were previously fixed :by a board of experts at a reasonable _'rate in order to effecf 2. ready sale. %The prices. accoriiing to the quality jof the goods, range from 5/ to 15/. ;'l‘he authorities anticipate that the balance of the blankets still left on their hands win be disposed of within a few days.