NO DETERIORATION
BULK GIFTS FOR BRITAIN VOLUME EXCEEDS ESTIMATE Recent reports that there had been serious delay in the delivery from dock warehouses in the United Kingdom of bulk food gift parcels sent from New Zealand and other countries, and that the food was going bad, were answered by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, Dr Edith Summerskill, some days ago. “It is true,” Dr Summerskill said. “ that there is a large number of packages of gifts of food from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa awaiting distribution at United Kingdom ports. There are gifts from Canada awaiting distribution. All gift consignments are subject to routine inspection; those lying in London docks were specially inspected in the week ended on June 22. There is no sign of deterioration in their condition, nor in the past have any of these gifts deteriorated at the docks. Since the first distribution was made last Christmas approximately 140 shipments have arrived in the United Kingdom and 200,000 gift packages have been allocated, the bulk of which have actually been distributed.
“The quantity ariving in the United Kingdom has increased substantially during the last few months, and approximately 170,000 packages are still awaiting allocation. Every package has been individually allocated, distributed and accounted for, and allocation and distribution arrangements have involved in consequence a very great deal of work. Owing to the great generosity of overseas donors the quantities received have exceeded all expectations, and it has not been possible to keep pace with arrivals. “Without devoting undue labour to the ascertainment of the facts,” Dr Summerskill concluded, “detailed information as to the length of time which the consignments have been in the United Kingdom cannot be given. Additional staff is, however, being appointed to deal with the increased flow of gifts, and it is hoped as a result to effect a considerable speeding up in distribubution.”
The foregoing statement refers only to bulk food parcels, and not to individual parcels sent through the post to addressees in the United Kingdom.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19460710.2.92
Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 26200, 10 July 1946, Page 6
Word Count
338NO DETERIORATION Otago Daily Times, Issue 26200, 10 July 1946, Page 6
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