TROOPS IN EGYPT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 63, 14 March 1940, Page 13

TROOPS IN EGYPT

TOBACCO & CIGARETTES

UNADDRESSED PARCELS ONLY

ADVICE TO PUBLIC

Advice has been received that unaddressed parcels forwarded through the provincial patriotic councils under

the National Patriotic Fund Board's plan to send a parcel to each member of the First Echelon of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, will not be subject to duty on their arrival in Egypt. They will be admitted as Army stores. As a result, cigarettes and tobacco may now be included in these parcels. The restriction imposed on personally addressed parcels sent through the post by individuals to individual members of the First Echelon still applies, however. Tobacco or cigarettes sent in parcels in this way are still subject to Customs duty in Egypt. The exemption applies only to parcels that are 'unaddressed and sent forward under the National Patriotic Fund Board's gift scheme, and citizens are asked to note carefully this difference. In view of the earlier advice from Egypt not to include tobacco and cigarettes because of the heavy duty that had to be paid on them, the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council, in inviting the co-operation of citizens and organisations to contribute approximately 1500 unaddressed parcels, omitted these items from the suggested contents of the parcels it issued, substituting tooth brush with paste, and/or one tin of black boot polish. Now that tobacco may be sent with these parcels, cigarettes and tobacco may be included in the parcels in addition, or, if desired, in place of the tooth brush with p<aste, and/or one tin of black boot polish. After all, the list of conj tents issued were only suggestions. The jtnain point is that the size of the parcels should riot be unreasonable. The articles should pack up into about a lOin cube. They must be of such ai size that it is possible to pack twelve of the parcels in a benzine box. Already tins of fruit and cakes have been sent in exceeding the prescribed weight. The weights that were given must be adhered to, otherwise the gifts cannot be sent. . SUGGESTED CONTENTS. The suggested contents of the parcels, to which a tin of tobacco or cigarettes may now be added, if desired, are as follows:—Handkerchief (khaki if possible, but failing this any colour but white), tin of milk, or coffee and milk, or potted rrieat, tin of sweets, or cake, or small cakes (about ljlb weight), pair black boot laces (preferably leather), smali tin of fruit (about lib in weight), tooth brush with paste, and/or one tin of black boot polish, and sometimes a small scribbling block or pack of playing,cards.. ; The Wellington Provincial Patriotic | Council has opened a depot above the Smith Family's rooms in Wakefleld Street and parcels will be received there daily I , : ,excepJ; Saturday^,,between 10 a.m. arid 4 p.m. Citizens are asked to remember carefully/ that^the exemption from Egyptian Customs duty applies to the unaddressed parcels and not to the personally addressed parcels sent through the post in the ordinary way. If this is observed the troops will be saved any embarrassment. >