TROOPS' GRIEVANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 192, 14 August 1940, Page 4

TROOPS' GRIEVANCE.

A.I.F. MISSES MATT,, (By Air.) SYDNEY, August 10. Although; almost five tons q£ Australian mail has now been dethrrred to members of the A.I.F. in Britain, the subject of the postal service from Australia continues to be one of the chief grievances .of the troops, states the Commonwealth Official War Correspondent in England. Soldiers of the A.I.F. have now been in Britain for more than seven weeks, yet many of them still have to hear from their homes. The regular delivery of home mails as rapidly a* possible is regarded by high officers at Australian Headquarters as a matter of the gravest importance to the men's morale. Confusion was inevitably caused by the unexpected diversion of troops from Palestine to Britain, but the impression exists that many apparent bungles, anomalies, and hitches could have been avoided by the exercise of more care and intelligence at the other end. "They are sending us stuff definitely addressed to Palestine," one officer said. "Only to-day a full bag arrived for a unit which has always been in Palestine. Practically no mail posted in Australia during May has been received here, with the exception of a little air mail. "The trouble undoubtedly lies at the Australian end. More trouble should be . taken in tlie initial sorting." I The Tasmanians are the most unlucky. They have received scarcely any letters. The Queenslanders also have received very few. Men from West Australia have received mail from other States, but none from their homes. Many air mail letters obviously come most, if not all the distance by boat. Dissatisfaction is also expressed with the cable service.