NEW ZEALAND WAR TROPHIES

ALLOCATION AND DISTRIBUTION.

"Wellington, July 14. A number of New Zealand war tro- ' nines have been coming to hand during the war and have been allotted to districts ,but the greater portion, >; comprising a large quantity of materil which the military authorities have collected, has been stored in London and Egypt. It comprises \i) actual captures; (2)- articles salvaged by the• N.Z.E.I?. in Frances , Palestine and Egypt; (3) interesting war material obtained from or allotted by the British authorities for the Dominion War Museum purposes. These trophies are now arriving by returning transports. Naturally the public are taking keen interest in their disposal. Each district will have its duo share, but-at present the railway authorities cannot distribute them over the county. The Defence authorities, therefore, are taking charge of them, storing them all at Trentham and keeping an inventory of each article. In caees where trophies are identified captures of units and branded as such, care will be take"h that they <zo to the districts of the units capturing them. The New Zealand War ■r-orcls Office, London, has completed a list of all' the trophies with a historical note to eaoh, where avail•il)le, and each has been branded with a distinguishing number. In this way every care lias been taken fo safeguard units' claims to particu- fc - lar captures. The matter of allocn-je ■ration will be dealt with as •speediljjif as possible, but final action cannot DpU taken until all material comes hand from London. There should Fe.' enough trophies, particularly fieln guns and machine guns to satisfy all I reasonable demands. Many requests have readied the authorities for guns* for Ihe Peace celebrations. :UnfoEtunntely the railway situation nfeoludes the possibility of the disoprilr of any trophies by rail at presjyit,. but local bodies desiring a loan" of ' t rophics > for Peace _ celebrations are being- given concessions on condition thnt they make all arrangements''for shipping same and return them to Wellington immediately afterwards. Where carriage can be eifccterl by sea, an endeavour is being made fo. , forward immediately for this purpose guns that are branded as the special captures of districts so situated.