TROOPS IN THE LINE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1943, Page 6

TROOPS IN THE LINE

CANTEEN SUPPLIES

V.M.C.A. ASSISTANCE

-Unfavourable, comment has been made in some parts of New Zealand regarding sales of canteen goods in the Middle East, particularly in the forward areas, by the V.M.C.A., acting as an agent of the National Patriotic Fund Board. In a statement today, the secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Boards Mr. G. A. Hayden, said he regretted the criticism, which was unjustified and undoubtedly was based on a misunderstanding of the whole position. Actually, said Mr.. Hayden, the V.M.C.A. had done a job in meeting a very definite demand that redounded to the credit of the organisation. !c "At the outset," continued Mr. Hayden, "it was decided that other than providing a buffet service the Y.M;C.A. would not attempt the sale of canteen goods. However, under actual fighting conditions it was found that the unit canteens did not always function and that the greatest service the V.M.C.A. men could give to the men in the line and just in the rear of it was to have available supplies of cigarettes, chocolate, and items of that kind. Such was the demand for supplies of this nature that one of the greatest difficulties the V.M.C.A. secretaries had was to limit their supplies to New Zealand men, because other units of the Eighth Army were for weeks without canteen supplies. '■'■■■

I "The V.M.C.A. would have preferred, and would prefer now, to reduce its canteen work to a minimum. Wherever it has been possible and convenient for the troops to obtain their general requirements elsewhere,.- the V.M.C.A. policy has been to limit its activities to a refreshment service, but manytimes the men in the forward areas would have lacked supplies but for the presence of the V.M.C.A. representing the Patriotic Board. That this is recognised is shown from reports I have received recording that the V.M.C.A. men have been asked by unit commanders to assist by carrying extra stocks of goods; Even when a unit has been running its own canteen, the V.M.C.A. personnel in the Middle East have still been asked to provide fairly full supplies. According to all the reports I have seen there is no doubt that the troops have wanted this extra service. EXTRA CALLS. "It should also be pointed out that there are times when the extra service of the V.M.C.A. has been called upon to give results in losses to the patriotic funds, such as, for instance, during the Tunisian campaign. Because cigarettes were coming in from the Tunisian area and were being sold at 4d a packet the New Zealand V.M.C.A. I staff had to sell packets of cigarettes for a considerable period at a price less than was paid for them, the result being a loss of £5250. In addition, between October of last year* and March of this year supplies valued at £4375 which were being sent up to the V.M.C.A. with i the Division were lost at sea through enemy action." Mr. Hayden added that if there was any criticism of the fact that a charge was made for the goods sold in this way, he thought it should be obvious that the full buffet and canteen service could not possibly be . provided free. To meet requirements now over £1,000,000 a year was necessary, and if everything was given away the call on the public generosity would be many times greater. The troops overseas received free gift parcels and cigarettes and other comforts at intervals, and also received the benefit of amenities it had been possible to provide for them out of patriotic funds. The V.M.C.A., on behalf of the board, had assisted in the free distributions that had been made. From October, 1940, to May of this year free distributions of goods to a total value of approximately £44,375* were made through the V.M.C.A, alone.

"The service rendered by the V.M.C.A. in the forward areas is particularly meritorious having regard to the fact that the institution would have preferred not to have undertaken it," Mr. Hayden said. "The V.M.C.A. filled a gap that existed, and but for the assistance given by such institutions as the V.M.C.A. facilities available to the men would have been very limited indeed."