BADLY ADDRESSED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 March 1943, Page 3

BADLY ADDRESSED

MANY LETTERS TO WAR PRISONERS STATEMENT BY ENQUIRY OFFICE. DELIVERY OF PARCELS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A cablegram from the International Red Cross advises the Prisoners of War Enquiry Office that a large number of letters to New Zealand prisoners of war from their families are incorrectly addressed, involving considerable delays in delivery and possible non-delivery. The office stresses the importance of adhering strictly to the instructions set out in the official brochure and leaflet supplied by the Post Office. Cabled advice has 'been received that Camp Stalag XVIII B was closed in the middle of January and the addresses of all prisoners concerned should be changed to Stalag XVIII. Working party numbers will remain unchanged. It is not anticipated that the change will prejudice the delivery of any parcels already despatched. The office still urgently requires copies of letters from prisoners interned at Stalag VIII and Oflag 111 C, written from and including October. Next of kin are advised that special wool for prisoners of war can still be purchased on the presentation of a special wool coupon card. Advice has been received from England that 635,000 food parcels, approximately 30,000 invalid comfort parcels and 155,000 tobacco parcels, and food in bulk estimated to be equivalent to 75,000 parcels, were despatched to camps in Germany and Italy for the period of four weeks from the middle of October.