CABLES TO SOLDIERS

Evening Star, Issue 23845, 27 March 1941, Page 12

CABLES TO SOLDIERS

REPREHENSIBLE DELIVERY DELAYS AIR KAILS DECLARED QUICKER [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 26. Further complaints about the nonarrival ot cablegrams to New Zealand soldiers overseas were made by members of the Standing Committee of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council to-day. One speaker said he sent a cablegram to his son on December 21 and further ones since, but the son had not received any of them. Suggestions for a different system of transmitting money by cablegram are to be made by the committee. “ I know of half a dozen shocking and reprehensible delays,” said Mr K. L. Usmar, secretary of the council, who added that the Returned Soldiers’ Association had decided to take appropriate steps to bring about some change in the situation.

Sir Ernest Davis (the chairman) said there should be liaison officers at headquarters dealing with next of kin cablegrams, and the committee should look into the question of how the authorities deal with such messages. Mr Usmar: Rafferty rules! That is bow they deal with them. They just do'not try to find the people to whom the messages and money are sent. It was stated that all through January New Zealanders in the Middle East received cablegrams handed in at various times in December, and each message was accompanied by a note of apology from the telegraph authorities. The next of kin should be advised not to use the cable service because the air mails were quicker.