THE SOLDIERS' XMAS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2588, 9 October 1915, Page 10

THE SOLDIERS' XMAS

DISPATCH OF PRESENTS

DETAILS OF ARRANGEMENTS

So many inquiries liavo been made relative to the arrangements by the Department of Internal Affairs for tlio receipt and dispatch of Christmas gifts for the soldiers at the front that it will be of interest to the general public to know exactly, what is being done in the matter.

During the past week cases of gift goods have been received in Wellington by practically every train and steamer. In addition large numbers of parcels have been leceived through the I'yst Office, while cases and parcels from the local commuters and the public generally havo teen brought to the Transl wt Office, No. 3 Shed, King's Wharf. The cases and parcels received are divided into four groups:—

, (1) Tor the individual officer ur 'soldier; (2) For the soldiers in a particular unit; (3) For New Zealand soldiers irrespective of what district thoy, may come from; and (4) Miscellaneous, under which cases and packages addressed to the Officer Commanding, N.Z. Base Depot, Alexandria, the medical officers in charge of hospitals, sundryother officers of the. Now Zealand Forces, and. cases which are addressed either to the Under-Secre-

tary, Internal Affairs Department,

or to Captain Bilton, Transport Officer, containing parcels for individual soldiers in various regiments.

In regard to cases for the individual soldier and those specially addressed to officers commanding, or medical officers at the front, each case is carefully examined to make certain that it is of sufficient durability to carry through to destination. In a number of instances eases have been found not to be strong and these are being strengthened either by the provision of battens or by being crated.. _ Small cases also about which there may be fear of their going astray in transit, are being packed together in crates. In every case : the address is chccked, and if found to bo insufficient, this is rectified. Many of the cases simply bear label addresses, and in regard to these the address is printed on tho case itself before dispatch to the transport. Parcels which are .Received Loose for Individual Soldiers.—ln respect to these, the parcels have been sorted out according to Main Expeditionary Force or Reinforcements, Nos. 1 to 7, as the case may be. This, therefore, ensures that all small pacakages which have been received for individual soldiers for the Main .Expeditionary Force are in one case, and the 6ame applies to those for soldiers of the .Ist, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, sth, 6th, and 7th Reinforcements. Each, case ■has printed-on it, "Christmas-Gifts foi •MviduakSoldieirs • of ■ Expeditionary or Reinforcements, - No. ; given),' 'Care. 'Officer Commanding, New Zealand Base 'Depot, • Alexandria" ; Tu addition a large; number of parools'liave been received for "Any'of tho 'New Zealanii S6ldiers'." Tliese.'are made up in '6eparato <j.ase3, addressed "Christmas Gifts for ■ any: Now Zealand ■ Soldiers, . Care ' . Officer »„ Commanding), ;New Zealand Base Depot,' Alexandria." Further,. parcels for soldiers who are known to • be.'in '.Egypt [are, being packed separately and will 'show distinctive ; marks to -enable, tho. Officer Commanding, New Zealand Baso Depot; Alexandria, to deal specially .. - .*•' .'Every-;case, :and parcel received is immediately :humbe'red,'..and. full 'particulars :reoorded- of • tho addressee, and the •naiiie. of. sender given/ . In-addition to .the particulars of all cases shipped which will appear on the ship's manifest, a typed list is ,being prepared for dispatch by the-transport to the Officer Commanding, New; Zealand Base Depot, Alexandria, showing tile following particulars:—The number and address on each case, with name of sender, and in respect to those cases which contain parcels packed by the Department, the number on parcel; and tho name of the soldier, with regimental number. •

Everything that can possibly be .done by tho Department to. assist Colonel Charters, by furnishing him with full particulars of. each cpse of Christmas gifts dispatched is being carried out.