CARE OF SOLDIERS’ MAIL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 258, 29 September 1943, Page 5

CARE OF SOLDIERS’ MAIL

(Official News Service.) • CAIRO, Sept. 17. All cargo and mail arriving in the Middle East for the New Zealand units passes through the hands of a special all-New Zealand Port Detachment, whose task is to expedite delivery. Since its formation in August, 1941, this small detail has maintained a record of the highest efficiency. Losses in cargoes have fallen from 15 per cent, to under 1 per cent, of the totals shipped. This is well under the normal peacetime rate of 2 to 3 per cent. The detachment, which is self-contained, examines all manifestoes, locates and supervises the unloading of all cargo consigned to the New Zealand units, and dispatches it to the final address. It also guards all cargoes for which it is responsible, deals with personnel and mail arriving and departing from the Middle East, and locates shipments over-carried to other ports. The boarding launch used by the New Zealand detachment was once well known in Auckland as the Olive Jean, the North Shore ferry and harbour excursion boat, and has been carrying out her prosent duties for 18 months. Her now name, appropriately, is _ New Zealand. Sho flies the Dominion ensign, and has an all-New Zealand crow. Now Zealand II was an “enomy alien,” salvaged by a second detachment from the beach at Tripoli. After extensive repairs, she was equipped with a truck engine and proved of gTeat service in working the battered port.