GIFT PARCELS FOR CIVILIANS

Evening Star, Issue 24006, 3 October 1941, Page 8

GIFT PARCELS FOR CIVILIANS

WEIGHT LIMIT RAISED TO SLB DELIVERY DELAYS iN MIDDLE E^ST (P.A.), WELLINGTON, Oct. 2. The Postmaster-General, Hon. P. C. Webb, announced to-night that, with the concurrence of the British authorities. New Zealanders could post to civilians in the United Kingdom cake and fruit puddings to the full weight limit of 51b in any gift parcel. The usual limit was 21b. The concession would end on October 31. Discussing the delay in the delivery of parcels and newspapers to soldiers in the Middle East. Mr Webb stated that direct shipping despatch was not always possible, and transhipments made delay inevitable. In addition, the sorting process at the base took time, and the men wore often dispersed over a wide area. A recently-adopted method of bagging newspapers would reduce the delay by giving precedence to letters and parcels. Because of the difficult conditions, Mr Webb said, senders should not be perturbed when addressees informed them that parcels had not come to hand, unless three or four months had lapsed since posting. Honey, unless in soldered containers, should not be sent, said the Minister, as leakage had caused considerable damage to other parcels.