No Need To Send Clothing For Prisoners Of War

Northern Advocate, 18 November 1941, Page 4

No Need To Send Clothing For Prisoners Of War

Clothing for prisoners-of-war need not be sent from New Zealand, according to advice received at a general meeting of the Next-of-Kin Association at Whangarei last night. This information was from the Minister for Defence, to whom the association recently forwarded a remit asking for a free issue of clothing to next-of-kin to be sent to prisoners-of-war.

The Minister advised that the question of the provision of uniforms, clothing, etc., for prisoners-of-war had been taken up with the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London (Mr. Jordan). Unnecessary And Inadvisable Mr. Jordan reported that it was unnecessary and inadvisable that any items of uniform be sent from New Zealand for prisoners-of-war. Pie had been advised by the Red Cross Society in London that satisfactory arrangements had been made for all necessary replacements of clothing for Dominion as well as other prisoners-of-war. Large issues had already been made through Geneva. Under the circumstances it was not intended to send clothing from New Zealand. The opinion was expressed at the meeting that it would have been in the interests of all concerned if the Department had made these facts

public earlier. Needless expense and anxiety would have been spared. It was decided to ask for further information as to the exact goods supplied, so that parcels could be made up for prisoners-of-war without a duplication of articles. Allowances To Dependents j The Minister'also replied to a further remit concerning the payment of allowances to the widow or dependents of soldiers. “The subject matter of your representations has already been carefully considered and for your in- ) formation I have to state that while the statutory pension payable to the wife of a missing soldier without dependents is 30/- per week, in the case of a private, this amount may be supplemented by the War Pension's Board by a grant of aft economic pension of up 10 15/- per week, depending on financial circumstances,” wrote the Minister. The association’s remarks had been J nvi <1 A Ln 1 Cl flVlt A'P

noted and would not be lost sight of when the question of rates and conditions of war pensions generally came up for attention, it was stated. 01 pappap uorpposse aq; oiujAY thank the Minister for his advice and attention to the questions, it was also decided to state that it was still the association’s opinion that the pension be equal to the allowance made by j the soldier to his dependent wife. i Organiser’s Report i The organiser (Mr. G. A. R. McKoy),. rejMfe|fd that branches had been forHpPat Otaika, Mangapai, Ohaeawai and Pak&raka, while a native branch was soon to be formed at Ngawha.

Preparatory work was being concluded in several other centres and before Christmas he anticipated that over 20 branches would be linked up in Northland. Consideration of rules was then proceeded with, and a draft copy prepared for perusal by the hon. solicitor (Mr. D. J. Thomson).