GIFT PARCELS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21836, 13 December 1940, Page 6

GIFT PARCELS

Receipt In Egypt Welcomed Some Cases Rifled On The Way xelegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, December 12. High praise for the gift parcels forwarded to the New Zealand troops through the National Patriotic Fund Board, and for the attention to their welfare generally, is given by MajorGeneral B. C. Freyberg, V.C., in a letter to the board. In a postscript in his own handwriting, the General says tha,t no troops are better cared for than ours. “There is no doubt,” the General says, “that the gifts are greatly appreciated, and the day for opening the parcels was like a birthday for everybody. If those responsible for getting together this generous collection of gift parcels could have seen them being distributed and opened here in Egypt, I know they would have felt their trouble well repaid. May I think you, on behalf of all ranks, for giving us such a pleasant surprise.” It appears that some of the equipment sent to the troops in Egypt must have gone astray, and that there has been interference in transit with a numbr of cases of goods. Mr G. A. Hayden (secretary of the Board) said to-day that he regretted to announce that he has been advised by the Board’s representative in Egypt that while fresh consignments had come to hand, indications were that equipment had gone astray either on the water or between the wharf and the camp. Also it had been found that cases had been broken open and systematically rifled. The goods referred to, Mr Hayden said, might have been part of a consignment which had to be got ready at six hours’ notice in an endeavour to replace parcels which went to England when the 2nd Echelon was diverted there. It had not been possible to wire all these cases and send them with Army stores, which was the normal procedure.