“I AM VERY FIT IF SOMEWHAT SCRAGGY ON OUR RATION AND WANT OF GOOD FOOD”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22586, 15 March 1948, Page 6

“I AM VERY FIT IF SOMEWHAT SCRAGGY ON OUR RATION AND WANT OF GOOD FOOD”

GRATEFUL LONDONERS

Frao-mentarv glimpses of what must be an often drear existence in London for old age pensioners are t & o be found in a batch of deeply-grateful letters sent to the Gisborne branch of the Woodtord House Old Students’ Association in acknowledgment of food parcels sent to the Royal Borough of Kensington in London recently.

All old-age pensioners, the recipients have replied in terms of heartfelt gratitude for their parcels and here and there refer to their way of life. © There is a letter from an old couple, both over 70 years of age who are back at work as caretakers in a block of flats after having been bombed out in the blitz. © Her niece replies for an old lady of 91 who flatly refused to leave London during the war, although she was bombed out thre; times. © And an army officer’s widow whose son is serving in the regular army says that she is partly repaying her debt to New Zealand by having two New Zealand doctors, their wives and families living in her home. Ball Proceeds Pay For Gifts The gilt food was sent with money derived from the balls which the exstudents of the combined colleges— Woodford House, Christ's and Wanganui hold annually in Gisborne, fhe Woodford House ex-students' branch in Gisborne receive half of the proceeds of these balls and so far, two consign-

ments of bulk food have been sent to Britain, one costing £BO and the other £6O. The food was sent to the Royal Borough of Kensington and there packed into small parcels by the W.Y.S. for distribution to the old-age pensioners. Slips containing the address of the ex-students’ branch in Gisborne were included with the individual parcels and these have been replied to with alacrity by the recipients. One parcel arrived on a woman's eighty - first birthday, another reached an old campaigner of the Duke ol Wellington's West Riding Regiment who enclosed some medal ribbon in his acknowledgment and a 78-year-old recipient says that it is a bit late for him “to ever see your lovely country now.” Parcels Enliven Rationed Diet More concise details of how gift parcels affect the British ration are given by a man who served in three wars.— in the Boer War, during 1914-20 in France and Northern Russia, and for 18 months in the Second World War in the Home Service. His letter reads.

“We thoroughly enjoyed a dinner from the tin of slewed lamb and peas. The (in of dried milk is a grand addition to our meagre supply of twopints a week of fresh milk. It is delicious and more like the milk we used to get before the war. Uhc cheese also we thoroughly enjoy as we only get a ration of 2oz. each week here, just enough for one meal! “The oatmeal, too, for porridge has been a grand addition for breakfast. It lias more flavour than the oatmeal one can get in England now. ihe beef dripping has been most useful, nty wife tells me. “Despite my age and the hard times we are going through, I am very fit if somewhat scraggy on our ration and want of good food. One shilling’s worth of meat per week does not go far. A cut oil a good joint is unknown these days. lam sorry for the young people growing up under these conditions and not knowing anything else, but perhaps they will appreciate good living, all the more when world conditions change.”