TROOPS IN FIJI

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 October 1941, Page 3

TROOPS IN FIJI

PAYMENTS FROM PATRIOTIC FUNDS considerable expenditure. MANY FACILITIES PROVIDED. From time to time there have been complaints from members of the New Zealand Forces in Fiji that they have not received much from the New Zealand patriotic funds. A statement issued by the National Patriotic Fund Board says that these complaints would appear to arise from a lack of appreciation of the fact that it is not the board’s policy to make frequent distributions of individual comforts but instead to cater for the men of the forces collectively.. “The sum of £16,235 has been remitted by the board to Fiji, and if the cost of the articles forwarded to Fiji is added to the amount of money that has actually been sent,” says the statement, “it will be found that at least £6 per man has been spent for the benefit of the troops there. This is far in excess of what has been spent on any other force which has left New Zealand. It must be realised, however, that the greater proportion of this money has been expended on buildings which will be available to the New Zealand troops as long as they are stationed at Fiji, and that this expenditure will not have to be repeated.” A club was built for the New Zealand Forces on the beach at Suva at a cost of £3650; two Y.M.C.A. buildings on other parts of the island cost £3300 each; £350 was spent on additions to another* club, and a further £1047 was expended on furnishings for these institutions. All this money was provided from the National Patriotic Fund.

Continuing, the statement says: “There have been two issues of gift parcels, which included cigarettes and tobacco, and in August last there was a free issue of cigarettes. Sporting gear was sent for the purpose of outfitting teams from each unit and not with the idea, as would appear to be the impression of some, of giving each man a pair of football boots and a jersey.

“A complete band has been provided, and when the force left for Fiji an advance of £3OOO was made available to enable the troops to run their own canteens, the arrangement being that 50 per cent of the profits would be refunded to the board until the capital sum was repaid, the other 50 per cent to be available to the troops for comforts through their regimental funds. Of this £3OOO, only £l6OO was uplifted, the force carrying its canteen on a credit principle. The force later handed the control of its canteens over to the New Zealand Canteens Board, and as a result was able to pay into the regimental funds in Fiji the equivalent of £2 for every member of the force.” The statement also says that 14 wireless sets have been forwarded and approximately 6000 books, five libraries having been established. -Writing materials, sports gear, and indoor games were dispatched with the troops when they left New Zealand, and since then, the statement says, substantial renewals have been made. In addition one complete talking picture outfit has been sent and another is on order.