COMFORTS FOR TROOPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 May 1943, Page 4

COMFORTS FOR TROOPS

DISTRIBUTION IN MIDDLE EAST. DURING FEBRUARY & MARCH. Some idea of the service being carried out in the Middle East among the New Zealand Forces by the Y.M.C.A. with comforts and funds provided through the National Patriotic Fund Board is indicated by the following figures relating to goods supplied to the New Zealand Division in February and March —325,000 bars of chocolate, 3,400,000 cigarettes, 41,138 tins of milk, 148,000 tins of tobacco. In addition £7OO was spent in the provision of tea. Although lately members of the New Zealand Forces have been busy chasing Rommel’s forces,' the Patriotic Fund Board commissioner, Lieutenant-Col-onel Waite, has been seeing’ to it that material will be available when there is time for sport during the summer. During March, according to a recent cable, he issued 103 sets of cricket material, of a total value in New Zealand currency of £2690. These are figures which, although they are in themselves impressive, by no means tell the full story of what is being done for the welfare of the New Zealand forces overseas. They give some indication, however, of the provision that has to be made in catering for a large number of men in one of the theatres in which New Zealand is represented and the costs that are involved.