TOO MANY FOOD PARCELS WOULD PROVE EMBARRASSING

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 July 1947, Page 8

TOO MANY FOOD PARCELS WOULD PROVE EMBARRASSING

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The British authorities were averse to any appreciable increase in the volume of personally addressed food parcels to the United Kingdom, said the Postmaster-General, Mr Hackett, in a letter to the Federated Farmers. Mr Hackett added that the disposal of parcels, increased transport and delivery difficulties in Britain, this benefiting few at the expense of many. ■ . The Federated Farmers’ organisation had asked that the government allow food parcels to be sent free of postage for a period, of say, three months, during the critical period. Mr Hackett replied that there were many difficulties in the way of granting the request. The postage on the parcels had to be shared three ways, the country of origin, the shipping company and the country of destination* and the sums retained in New Zealand were, barely sufficient to meet internal handling costs. An aspect sometimes overlooked was that food packed in parcels took up more space than food despatched in bulk. Instances had already occurred where parcel' mails had been, of such volume that certain bulk' foodstuffs urgently required in Britain had to be held over.