TOBACCO FOR TROOPS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13237, 13 January 1941, Page 2

TOBACCO FOR TROOPS

POSITION DEFINED MEN IX BRITAIN AND BGPYT Wellington, Jan. 11. Mr G. A. Hayden, secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board, says that misapprehension still exists regarding the sending of tobacco and cigarettes to the New Zealand fighting forces abroad. The difficulty appears to be due to New Zealanders not being in the same war theatres, and different-conditions apply to the payment of Customs Duty as between the United Kingdom and Egypt. "Tobacco and cigarettes included in individual parcels to Great Britain are not subject to duty, but parcels to Egypt are. Tobacco goods included in parcels to Canada are admitted duty free up to certain limits. In consequence of the position in Egypt, said Mr Hayden. arrangements were made in accordance with a concession granted by the Egyptian Government for the inclusion of cigarettes and tobacco in unaddressed" parcels forwarded through the board.

Mr Hayden also dealt with trie question of why cigarettes and tobacco consigned from New Zealand by the board to the New Zealand Forces* Club in Cairo are_ not to be distributed free. For one thing, the cost was too heavy for the fund to maintain, also many men did not smoke, and something would have to be given to them.