CLOTHING FOR PRISONERS

Evening Star, Issue 24103, 26 January 1942, Page 2

CLOTHING FOR PRISONERS

NEXT OF KIN REASSURED (P.A.) VKI.LiNGTON, .lull, -3. A reassurance to next of kin in regard to the forwarding of clothing to men taken prisoner is contained in this week’s statement by the Prisoners of War inquiry Office. There is a permanent arrangement by which a parcel of clothing is sent through the High Commissioner’s Office, London, to every man as soon as ,it is officially notified that he is a prisoner. Considerable stocks are held there. When a man is officially notified in Geneva as a prisoner, both the New’ Zealand High Commissioner and the New Zealand Government are immediately notified. A second quarterly parcel is, also sent from the High Commissioner’s Office, so that a parcel sent from New Zealand would probably be the third.

The inquiry office lias received through the Government information that the Japanese Government has declared itself ready to transmit to the International Hod Cross Agency, Geneva, information concerning any prisoners, and also to exchange similar information concerning interned non-combatants so far as it possibly can. A Prisoner of War Bureau was established in Tokio on December 27. Stress is again laid on the fact that tobacco is not permitted in parcels. What can or cannot go in parcels is decided by the detaining Power, and not by anyone in the Britsih Empire. Experience over many months has proved that practically all. the names that have come over radio sources have already been notified officially as prisoners of war, but next of kin knowing of cases not officially notified are requested to communicate with the Inquiry Office. Next of kin are requested to destroy all parcel instruction sheets except the last one (dated January, 1942), which have been forwarded to them. ___