GIFT PARCELS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20153, 24 January 1940, Page 6

GIFT PARCELS

SOLDIERS OVERSEAS REPORT BY COMMITTEE SHORTAGE OF TINS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. A report by a committee which went into the question of sending gift parcels to New Zealand soldiers overseas was adopted at the latest meeting of the National Patriotic Fund Board. It is proposed to send, to the next of kin of all men who enlist instructions setting out the best way to pack parcels, suggestions as to the contents, and other general information.

Under the board’s plan all addressed parcels forw’arded by inindiduals to individual members of the Expeditionary Force are to be sent through the post office in the normal way. The present reduced cost of parcels is Is 6d for 31 lb, rising to 3s for 71 lb, the maximum weight accepted by the post office. Inquiries have been made to see if the present rates can be further reduced and the post office authorities are awaiting replies from overseas countries.

Provincial patriotic councils are to be requested to arrange in all towns some means to enable local people to have tins hermetically sealed. Standard Parcels No individually addressed parcels are to be handled by either the National Patriotic Fund Board or the provincial councils. In lieu of individually addressed provincial councils are to be requested to make up standard parcels, which will be crated and forwarded to Weliipgtlom It is to use a warehouse in Wellington where parcels can be stored and forwarded overseas as troopships are available.

Because tin plating is almost impossible to procure in New Zealand at present, it is practically impossible to forward perishable goods in individual parcels. Inquiries, however, are being made to see if some satisfactory substitute for tin can be provided.

The committee expressed the view that there was something to be gained by the endeavour to obtain a standardised parcel, but it was pointed out that owing to a possible shortage of materials the position would have to be envisioned where parcels would have to be wrapped in brown paper and packed carefully in crates.