PATRIOTIC COMFORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 October 1941, Page 6

PATRIOTIC COMFORTS

FOR NEW ZEALANDERS SERVING OVERSEAS . . GROWING VOLUME OF GOODS BEING SENT. SOME RECENT CONSIGNMENTS. Since the National Patriotic Fund Board began sending comforts overseas for the New Zealand Forces, the volume of goods necessary to meet requirements has reached large proportions. Some idea of requirements at the present time is to be gained from one consignment for the Middle East. In this consignment there were 5743 cases of comforts, a total of 326 tons cubic measurement, and valued at £33,856. By far the greater part of the goods comprised gift parcels which were provided by the eleven provincial councils and the zone committees of the councils. There were 4352 cases of these parcels.

Other comforts included 256 cases, or nearly £5OOO worth of tobacco and cigar'ettes for free distribution, 385 cases of woollen goods, and £625 worth of cigarettes, tobacco and confectionery for the stocking of mobile canteens. A request received by the board for more radio sets was met by the provision of 50 sets, together with 50 crates of batteries. Also in the consignment were 37 cases of band instruments, to replace instruments lost by the 4th and sth Brigade Bands in Crete. Besides the supplies sent at regular intervals to the troops overseas, another important service is the provision of comforts on the transports for use by the men during the voyage. The goods put on board these ships include large quantities of writing materials, indoor games equipment, sports gear, song books, sheet music, cigarettes and tobacco, chocolate, books and periodicals, and talking’ picture films. When nurses are travelling special comforts are' packed for them, and the board also sees to it that the crews of the escort vessels are not overlooked. From time to-time special comforts are also sent for the Maori Battalion.. For instance, in one shipment , there were 70 cases containing approximately 2000 tinned mutton birds, three cases of pork, and 72 cases of other assorted Maori delicacies. Before long the National Patriotic Fund Board expects to take delivery of the ice-cream manufacturing plant which is being constructed at General Motors works at Petone to provide another amenity for the New Zealand forces in the Middle East. Besides the manufacturing plant, the equipment includes a specially built refrigerated truck to enable the ice cream to be transported to the hospitals and the forward areas. The truck has alreadybeen completed. It has been built for heavy duty, and it incorporated some interesting features that have been designed to make it a reliable and serviceable unit under the difficult conditions in which it is to operate.