EMBARKING TROOPS

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21042, 19 February 1940, Page 9

EMBARKING TROOPS

HOW MAILS WERE TAKEN LAST MINUTE DELIVERY SOME ADDRESSES INSUFFICIENT (By TelegrapH.—Press Association) DUNEDIN, Sunday The news regarding the safe arrival of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt makes it possible, stated the Postmaster-General, the Hon. F. Jones, to-day, to release an interesting story regarding the delivery of mails to troops on the day of embarkation. Correspondence addressed to camps where the troops had previously been in training was diverted to Wellington up to the last possible moment, and mails were made up at frequent intervals on the day on which the troops embarked and were delivered to each troopship concerned. Despatches were also made to ships when they were anchored in the stream after leaving the wharf. Even the launch conveying the Com-mander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force, Major-General B. C. Freyberg, V.C., to his ship late at night was used to make a final delivery of mails and telegrams. Although it was necessary at the time for very good reasons to keep secret the fact that the forces were embarking for overseas, it was evident from the number of telegrams for troops received at Wellington on the day of embarkation that a considerable number of people throughout the Dominion anticipated that the soldiers were on the move. As with letters, every opportunity was taken of delivering telegrams to the troopships. Insufficient addressing put the department to considerable trouble. The confidence of the public in the initiative of the Post Office in this connection was indicated by many telegrams being addressed merely to a name, for example: “ James Smith, Expeditionary Force, Wellington.” In very few cases, however, was the department unable to effect delivery to the ship on which the soldier concerned had embarked. It would assist the Post Office considerably if in future senders would address all letters, telegrams, etc., as fully as possible. PARCEL POSTAGE RATE NOT YET REDUCED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) DUNEDIN, Sunday The Postmaster-General, the Hon. F. Jones, in response to an inquiry today, intimated that he was not yet

in a position to announce any reduction in the present postage rate for parcels forwarded from New Zealand to our soldiers in Egypt. The Minister explained that before any appreciable reduction in charges could be granted it was necessary to reach finality in conversations which had been proceeding for some time with the Egyptian Government.