WELFARE SERVICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1943, Page 4

WELFARE SERVICE

TROOPS IN THE PACIFIC. COMFORTS FOR NEW CALEDONIA. It would take some time before a welfare service on a satisfactorily efficient and adequate scale could bo established for the New Zealand troops at New Caledonia, staled Mr Colin Cassels, Y.M.C.A. Director in this area, who was in Wellington recently to discuss policy matters with the Y.M.C.A. Board and the National Patriotic Fund Board. Mr Cassels has also been the National Patriotic Fund Board representative at New Caledonia. He said that the reason for the delay was the shipping position, the fact that so much of the supplies had to be imported, plus the fact that materials were lacking in New Caledonia to allow of suitable improvisation.

During Mr Cassels's visit to Wellington arrangements were made for over 3.000 football jerseys to be sent, 100 complete cricket sets, and also an additional number of footballs and 60 pairs of boxing gloves. All these have been ordered and will be paid for by the Patriotic Fund Board, and they will be shipped as soon as they become available from supplies. Unfortunately, the purchasing of some equipment is out of the question. Hockey sticks, for example, are unprocurable at present and linings for the footballs will have to be specially made.

Good progress is being made with the construction of the 70 additional battery-operated radio sets the board has on order for the troops in the Pacific. They are nearing completion and will be forwarded shortly. In an interview, Mr Cassels said that the service being conducted at New Caledonia at the present time on behalf of the Patriotic Board was only of a preliminary nature until additional materials arrived. It was proposed to erect large burns or native huts to replace the marquees which had been found to be unsatisfactory.

During the Christmas season patriotic parcels and cigarettes were distributed to all the men stationed on the island, and recently a surplus supply of parcels was distributed on the basis of one parcel for five men. A further large consignment of patriotic parcels has been forwarded and these would be distributed within the next quarter. Because of the shortage of supplies in New Zealand, it had been necessary to restrict issues of writing paper to 15 sheets a man per month, but arrangements had now been made to increase the issue to 25 sheets.