CHRISTMAS CHEER

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1940, Page 3

CHRISTMAS CHEER

TO BE BOUGHT OVERSEAS Upon the advice of men with experience of the Four Years War the Taianaki Provincial Patriotic Council decided at a meeting at Stratford yesterday to recommend to the National Council that Christmas cheer p.arcels for the troops overseas iie not sent away in made-up parcels, but that nioney lie rcmitted to commanding officers overseas to purchase extra delicacies for the New Zealand soldiers during the festive season. As an alternative it was suggested that Christmas cheer provender should be purchased and sent away in bulk fiom the Dominion for distribution overseas. Returned soldier members of the council said that soldiers should not be "cluttered up with parcels." The subject arose when the council chairman, Mr. E. R. C. Gilmour, New Plymouth, broachod the subject of providing standardised four-pound cakes for the troops for Christmas consumption. "What, four pounds of cnke for a soldier?" said a meml>er. "Surely this is a very cumbersome way of giving Christmas cheer to the troops — why, they mightn't like th| cake," said Mr. N. H. Moss. "Can't we express an opinion to the National Council on something? Do we have to follow blindly all that we are told to do? I move that we make provision for funds to be sent overseas so that the o.c.'s can purchase Christmas cheer. or that it be sent over in bulk, and that the motion be ^recommended to the National Council. "You have no idea of what happens to these parcels," said Mr. J. C. Best in 1 seconding the motion. "1 know what it is like— a man gets so many parcels that the troops cannot carry them all when they have to move at short notice. Half the time the lot is wasted; I have seen it happen and I know what it is like, concluded Mr. Best. Support for the remarks of Messrs. Moss and Best was given by Mr. F. L. Frost, M.P., who said that money for Christmas cheer could be sent to the G.O.C., Major-General Freyberg, in I Egypt. Taranaki could pay its share of a general remittance by the National Council. "I am sure that he would appreciate such a procedure rather than see his whole army cluttered up with parcels," added Mr. Frost.