TOBACCO FOE SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16496, 23 March 1917, Page 4

TOBACCO FOE SOLDIERS.

QUALITY OF GIFT SUPPLIES.

OFFICIAL REPORTS RECEIVED.

[BT TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

' WELLINGTON, Thursday. A statement was published in a New Zealand paper some time ago that the gift cigarettes and tobacco distributed to the New Zealand troops were the " rankest condemned stuff that -was ever sold." The Mnister for Defence sent the statement 6> England for inquiry. He has now received replies from General G. S. Richardson, officer in command of the New Zealand forces in Britain, and Chaplain-Major Greene, who is in charge of the distribution of gift goods among the men in the field.

General Richardson states: —"The tobacco purchased through this office is of thi best quality. Undoubtedly large quantities of gift tobacco from other source's is absolute rubbish. I have been Ihe recipient of some of the latter in the fold." Chaplain Greene writes:— "If the people of New Zealand, who are so liberally inclined, would send on the money to headquarters here in London to be spent for them, a much better brand of tobacco and a larger amount would be procured. We have our own bond store where we have every facility for purchasing in bond all consignments of dutiable goods. There are no middlemen's profits and the New Zealand troops receive; all the advantages of an up-to-date system. We cannot be responsible for the quality of the tobacco and cigarettes merely sent to us for forwarding." r.' c vgrthmhuk»