MEAT GIFT MAINTAINS ENGLISH RATION AND PROVIDES GIFT PARCELS

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 May 1949, Page 4

MEAT GIFT MAINTAINS ENGLISH RATION AND PROVIDES GIFT PARCELS

When ho dona.ed £3OO vvortn of beef and mutton to the people of Britain in January, 1947. Mr S. S. Timbs, of Wanganui, did no. realise that his gut wouln help to keep up the oasie meat ration and also provide 167 giit parcels of a total value of £313. _

Mr Timbs’ gift was originally for the people of Oxford. where he was in business before coming to New Zealand, but the food Ministry would not perm.t of this discrimination and the meat was used for the benelit of. all. The meat was shipped in the liner Port Halilax in January, 1947. taut it was not until several flays ago that Mr Timbs learnec. from the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board just what his gilt had meant to the Old Country. The Commonwealth Gift Centre in London advised the Meat Producers’ Board by letter ot the "6< quarters oi beef and 27 carcases of mutton which an anonymous friend in New Zealand se kindly sent to this country in April 1947.’

“Things were a bit difficult at that time anu w'e had to use this wonderful gift to help keep the basic ration going,” stated the Gift Centres lettei. "The money, however, which the gift represented was set aside for the purchase later on of alternative loou as soon as something suitable appeared on the market.

“In the nope that you may know the kind person, may I ask you to let him know that we were offered some really good relief parcels which we could purchase against blocked sterling,” stated the letter. “The decision had to be taken swiftly otherwise w’e lost them. I felt sure he would share our keenness to jump at this opportunity for which we have been waiting so long so I therefore bought 167 parcels witii his gift ot £313 and we are now waiting their delivery. "We are at present working out a scheme for distribution so that we really make the best ol this wonderful gift and see that the most deserving people in the country have a share,” stated the Centre’s letter. “I feel that the donor would like to know of this stroke of good fortune and that his generous gilt is very far from being forgotten . May I offer him on behalf of deserving families and the rest of us in the United Kingdom who have been so inspired by these tokens of faith and affection, our most sincere and grateiui thanks.’ The contents of each ot the 16" parcels will be: A 11b tin ot butter, two lib tins ot powdered milk, one 111 b tin of peaches. 41b of tea, three 11b tins of oliomargarine, 41b of dried eggs, a pint tin of orange juice, a pint tin of grapefruit juice, a lilb tin of marmalade, two l.e.oiets of soap, a 11b packet of flour, lib of dried apricots, two 15oz packets of raisins, 21bs of flour, 21bs of chocolates, 21bs of sugar, lib ot split peas and a y easl -