PRISONERS OF WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1942, Page 4

PRISONERS OF WAR

PRIVATE INQUIRY CABLES INADVISABLE STATEMENT BY MAJOR ABEL. . OFFICIAL TASK'iCOMPLICATFD. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. In a prisoners of war statement today, Major Abel points out that the sending of private cabled inquiries to Geneva is inadvisable. Many relatives send cables in the hope of receiving quick information. Only this week a reply was received in answer to one made seven months ago. The Prime Minister today received a cable from Geneva sating that the Red Cross Headquarters have still over 250 prepaid cables so far unanswered. Besides adding to the anxiety of relatives, these private inquiries seriously impede the work of the International Red Cross, which cables direct to the New Zealand Government immediately information is received of a man being received in a prison camp. Major Abel asks that if there are special cases, they be referred to the Prisoners of War Office Headquarters in Wellington. He also intimates that headquarters would appreciate advice from any next-of-kin in New Zealand who had received acknowledgment cards for parcels sent. Any who have received a card or letter from a man not yet officially reported a prisoner of war, are again asked to send such information to the Prisoners of War Inquiry Offices, as it is the only means they have of compiling an unofficial prisoners’ list. The latest figures on the files are:— Army, 4224; Air Force, 116; Navy, 6; merchant seamen and civilians, 26; miscellaneous 20; Unofficial, 134; total, 4526.