THE GIFT PARCELS

Evening Star, Issue 25893, 10 September 1946, Page 5

THE GIFT PARCELS

CONFISCATION RARE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 9. In response to the Government’s request for information about the reported confiscation of gift parcels for persons in the United Kingdom, the New Zealand High Commissioner in London, Mr W. J. Jordan, has confirmed the statements already published, that out of several millions of gift parcels received in Brtiain from all sources, during the first five months of this year only 125 had been seized and handed over to approved charitable organisations on account of infringement of the regulations. Furthermore, only a very small number of the confiscated parcels came from New Zealand, said the Postmaster-General, Mr Webb, tonight. The British authorities had assured the High Commissioner that-the regulations were interpreted in a liberal manner, and even if a parcel were seized the addressee was notified in writing and given an opportunity of applying to import it under license, Mr <Webb said. There was no reason to suppose that failures in delivery due to pilfering or inability to deliver as addressed were any more frequent proportionately than in normal times. . In any case, New Zealanders need have no fear of confiscation of their parcels if they observed the regulations laid down.

Mr Webb said that, although parcels were forwarded by every possible vessel, they might easilv take up to nine weeks to reach the addressee.