WAR PRISONERS’ PARCELS

Southland Times, Issue 24600, 24 November 1941, Page 6

WAR PRISONERS’ PARCELS

Names Of Many Men Not Yet Notified

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Npv. 22 The arrival of a large overseas mail this week again shows that many missing New Zealand soldiers are actually prisoners of war, although they have not yet officially been notified as such. Relatives have received letters in the last week from such men and in the prisoners’ and their own interests are urged to send details immediately to the headquarters of the Prisoners of War Inquiry Office, Wellington. This will enable the office to save much time with the quarterly next-of-kin parcels. The High Commissioners office in London has requested that it be advised of the names of all men to whom special next-of-kin parcels are to be forwarded from New Zealand. The information is necessary to ensure that every man receives a parcel from some source. It is also officially learned from London that the sending of one next-of-kin parcel to each New Zealand prisoner whose address is known has been almost completed. PARCEL FOR EVERY MAN In a certain number of cases in which next-of-kin are living in the United Kingdom the British Red Cross will accept for transmission to New Zealand prisoners those parcels forwarded from the New Zealand packing centre in London, but this is on the understanding that the parcels will be sent only in cases where next-of-kin parcels are not being forwarded direct from New Zealand. To ensure that every prisoner as soon as he is officially notified shall receive a parcel as early as possible one is being sent through the New Zealand packing centre in every case, irrespective of where the next-of-kin may live. Official sources state that the war organization of the British Red Cross has asked the International Red Cross to distribute to camps holding British and Empire prisoners reserves of clothing held at Geneva and has also requested the German authorities to reissue winterclothing which, as a matter of procedure, has been taken into store during the summer.