COMFORTS FOR FORCES

Southland Times, Issue 24440, 21 May 1941, Page 10

COMFORTS FOR FORCES

BIG SUPPLIES SENT FORWARD New Zealanders in the fighting forces overseas prefer the cigarettes and tobacco sold in this country, and the effort made by the National Patriotic Fund Board to cater for this requirement when comforts are sent for them is illustrated by the fact that included in the large supplies of goods of all kinds dispatched by the last transports were 2,999,100 cigarettes and 11,1241 b, or over four tons, of assorted tobacco. Some of the cigarettes and tobacco was placed aboard for use on the voyage by the men proceeding in the ships. By far the greater proportion, however —1,500,000 cigarettes and 75001 b of tobacco—was for free distribution to the troops in the Middle East, in accordance with the new policy adopted by the board of sending cigarettes and tobacco separately in bulk, instead of asking contributors of gift parcels to include them in their parcels. This policy was introduced after the discontinuance by manufacturers of packing in tins. There were also in the consignment cigarettes and tobacco for sale at cost in the New Zealand Forces Club, Cairo. In addition, over 2000 packets of cigarette papers were placed on board for use during the voyage.

HOSPITAL STORES Another consignment of 31,250 unaddressed gift parcels was also sent, as well as an additional supply for a ship of the New Zealand Naval Station. Woollen goods shipped included 6504 pair of mittens, 3834 scarves, .158 balaclavas and 226 pullovers. Hospital stores were another big item. These stores covered a wide range. They included tins of oysters, glucose, tomato and vegetable soups, baked beans, peaches, pears, apricots, bottles, of malted milk, vegetable and meat extracts, tins of tongues, biscuits, cocoa and milk powder, cocoa, tomatoes, coffee and milk, condensed milk, honey, packets of jellies, tins of toheroa soup, butter, cheese, sweets, dried milk, and so on. The tinned goods were in tins much larger than the average household size. The tinned fruit, for example, was in gallon tins, the soups in 220 z tins, the cocoa and milk in 91b tins, the tomatoes in 28oz tins, the jellies in 11b packets sent in tin-lined cases. The amount of butter shipped for hospital use was three tons, and of cheese one ton. Sweets weighing 8001 b were also sent.

Special comforts were packed for the Maori Battalion and for the members of the New Zealand Nursing Service. N.Z. FORCES CLUB Outstanding items among goods sent for the New Zealand Forces Club, Cairo, apart from the cigarettes and tobacco already mentioned, included a half-ton of tinned bacon, 11 tons of potatoes, well over a ton of chocolate, one and a half tons of tomato sauce, 3000 cases of apples, 1056 tins of toheroa soup, 148 dozen packets of luncheon sausage, 180 boxes of cigarette papers, 324 dozen cans of whitebait, 16.7401 b of honey, 188 dozen lb tins of butter and 160 561 b boxes of butter, 420 sides of bacon weighing 16,7921 b, 333 hams weighing 67891 b and 47 cases of milk. Besides these great quantities of goods, comforts, in addition to cigarettes and tobacco, were put aboard the transports for use by the troops during the voyage, and each ship was supplied with a number of full-length motion picture films, featuring well-known stars, as well as a number of shorts. Soldiers and air-men from New Zealand stationed in the United Kingdom and in other parts, as well as New Zealanders serving with the Navy and Fleet Air Arm, are also being well cared for by the National Patriotic Fund Board. Substantial dispatches of parcels and other comforts are being made to them.