TOBACCO FOR OVERSEAS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24271, 31 May 1944, Page 2

TOBACCO FOR OVERSEAS

PATRIOTIC BOARD’S SCHEME

“MANY STILL UNAWARE OF BENEFITS ”

The scheme by which tobacco and cigarettes can be ordered and dispatched, free of duty, through the National Patriotic Fund Board to New Zealanders serving overseas is still not as widely known as it should be after two years of successful operation, according to its originator, Mr Chris R. Smith, of Christchurch. Mr Smith has received letters from men serving in Italy who say that many soldiers are still receiving tobacco from persons who, apparently unaware of the benefits of the scheme, are paying full retail prices in shops. In a letter to "Tne Press,” Mr Smith says that in 1940 he urged that the Government should waive all claims to duty on parcels of tobacco for men serving overseas, and that a scheme of ordering ex bond should be made available to next of kin and friends of servicemen so that supplies could be forwarded overseas at the New Zealand retail price, less customs duty. Mr H. S. Feast, Town Clerk of Christchurch, who was at that time secretary to the Canterbury Provincial Patriotic Council, questioned by a reporter of “The Pre.s " agreed that the scheme might still be unknown to many relatives of servicemen, especially those who had gone overseas in comparatively recent reinforcements. Mr Feast said that the scheme proposed by Mr Smith, who was a disabled soldier from the last war. was submitted by the Canterbury Council to the National Patriotic Fund Board, which replied that it was impracticable. Later, however, it was substantially adopted, and there was no doubt it had made a big saving to the relatives of soldiers.

The National Patriotic Fund Board "'ill- accept orders for 200 cigarette* 11b of cigarette tobacco with eight packets of papers, or 11b of pipe tobacco. Application forms, which are obtainable at the offices of the Provincial Patriotic Council, or at certain tobacconists, set out the prices for the various brands of cigarettes and tobacco for which orders will be accepted. and the differences between the retail prices and the prices under the scheme vary between Gs 8d fo>- t!v* cheapest brands of cigarettes to 14s Id for the most expensive nine tobaccos. All goods ordered are nocked in tin containers, wrapned in kraft pancr and disnatched at the earliest Possiblechile after receipt of the order. The value nf the cno'is ordered must he paid to a tobacconist for remittance to the board.