PRISONERS OF WAR

Southland Times, Issue 24491, 19 July 1941, Page 4

PRISONERS OF WAR

INFORMATION SENT TO GOVERNMENT NEXT-OF-KIN PROMPTLY ADVISED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 18. “The Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war obliges enemy governments to send information about men made prisoners of war to the government of the prisoners’ own country,” said the acting Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) today. “Immediately this information is received the New Zealand Government will arrange for notification to be sent to the next-of-kin.”

Experience had shown, continued Mr Nash, that further information was often received about the condition of individual prisoners and other details which were most welcome to next-of-kin. The Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society had informed the Government that it would be willing to establish an organization, the funds for which they had available, to handle this information and give any advice or assistance to inquirers. This generous offer had been gratefully accepted by the Government. Mr Nash made it clear that the first notification that a man was a prisoner of war would be made by the Government and the Joint Council organization would follow later, giving additional advice or assistance that might be desired. Next-of-kin or friends might feel confident, concluded Mr Nash, that inquiries would be dealt with by the best available means, either through the Vatican or the International Red Cross. ADDRESSING LETTERS

Advice has been received from London to the effect that where the internment camp address or a prison of war’s number are not known letters for New Zealand soldiers definitely known to be prisoners of war in German hands instead of being addressed care of New Zealand House, London, as formerly, should now be addressed care of Agence Centrale Des Prisonniers de Guerre, Geneva, according to a statement made by the Postmaster-General (the Hon. P. C. Webb) today. The Minister added that this agency which was the organization set up by the International Red-Cross, had the latest information about a prisoner’s whereabouts and undertook to readdress letters for prisoners addressed care of the agency. In respect to prisoners in Italian hands whose internment camp address was not known, the letters could be addressed care of the Groce Rossa Italiana, 6 via Puglie, Rome. Tire method of addressing parcels was not changed and these should continue to bc addressed care of New Zealand House, London. In the case of members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who had been reported missing but in respect to whom information had not been received, communications should still be I addressed to the High Commissioner's I Office, London.