SOLDIERS OVERSEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1940, Page 5

SOLDIERS OVERSEAS

POSTAGE RATES FOR LETTERS AND PARCELS PROCEDURE FOR SENDERS. PROPER MEANS OF ADDRESS. Postage rates have been fixed for correspondence addressed to New Zealand and all other soldiers, sailors and airmen of the British Empire on active service as follow: — Letters by surface transport: The inland letter rate (2d for the first oz. and Id for each succeeding loz) will apply. Letters by air on Empire air service: Is 6d per half-ounce. Newspapers: The British Empire rate (id for each 3 oz.) will apply. Parcels: Standard charges as under: Parcels not more than 31b. in weight, Is 6d; not more than 71b in weight (maximum), 3s. The rates mentioned will apply to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on their proceeding over-

sees, to New Zealand Air Force trainees who proceed to Canada, and to New Zealanders who are serving with the British Forces (for example, New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force), as well as to all soldiers of the Empire on active service (for example, soldiers of the British Army in France). Parcels over 71b. in weight may be sent to New Zealanders and other men of the armed forces overseas provided the sender pays the charge shown in the Guide for the country concerned and provided the maximum weight laid down in the Guide is not exceeded. In the meantime, overweight parcels (meaning those exceeding 71b. but not exceeding 111 b. in weight) addressed to any member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force overseas are charged at 6s each; parcels over 111 b. in weight are not accepted. It is hoped to further reduce parcel charges following approaches that have recently been made to a number of countries concerned overseas. During the last war difficulties arose in obtainI ing shipping space for parcels and newspapers for the Expeditionary Force, and this fact has been borne in 1 mind in fixing the parcel post maximum weight at 71b. and in retaining the British Empire rate for newspapers. The public can assist the Post Office greatly in keeping the volume of mails within reasonable limits by using newspapers for packing parcels, which, in all cases, should be very carefully made up to withstand a long journey overseas in bags. A faultily-packed parcel, it should be pointed out, particularly one containing any liquid, might well be responsible if damaged for spoiling a whole bag of parcels for our fighting men. Senders are recommended to enclose in every parcel a slip to indicate the name and address of the addressee and the name and address of the sendei- as insurance against the possibility that the outside label or address of the parcel may become lost in transit.

Some members of the public may desire to use the Empire Air Service for forwarding letters to members of the Expeditionary Force. Any such letters tendered for air despatch will require to be prepaid at the air rate fixed for England, that is, Is 6d each half-ounce. Full consideration has been given to the question of effecting a reduction in air mail postage on letters for soldiers, but it is regretted that no reduction is practicable in view of the need for restricting the weight of air mails to keep the bulk within the capacity of the curtailed service now operating. Inland rates continue to apply to correspondence (including parcels) for : soldiers whose address is c/o Defence Headquarters, Wellington, and for sailors on British warships in New Zealand waters. The Postmaster-General (the Hon. F. Jones) states that the Post Office is anxious that letters for soldiers should reach the addresses with as little delay as possible. Not only is it important that letters for soldiers who have proceeded abroad should be fully and correctly addressed, but it is equally important that the words “N.Z.E.F. Overseas” should be included in the address. A complete address should include the soldier’s number, his rank and his unit, followed by “N.Z.E.F. Overseas.” This is an example of a correctly addressed letter for a soldier who has left the Dominion: —591 Private J. Brown, B Company, 19th (WeA lington) Ride Battalion, N.Z.E.F. Overseas. TELEGRAM SERVICE. CHEAP RATE AVAILABLE. Commencing today, a cheap rate telegram service will be made available to members of his Majesty’s Army and Air Force abroad, except, for the present, those serving in Canada and Egypt. The rate is livepence a word for text and signature, with a minimum charge of 2s 6d. Urgent private matters only are allowed. The text is . to be in plain English; and the signa- i ture must contain a surname. Such messages are subject to censorship. The address, which is not charged for. must include the indicator ’»EFM,” the regimental number, rank and addressee’s name and designation of unit to which attached and the words “British Expeditionary Force, London” or if the addressee is not with the British 1 Expeditionary Force, the name of the place or country of destination. Special classes of telegraph and accessory services arc not permitted. t