OK - here's an update on something I did that seems to work.

I open the file, and stuff it into an array:

open (FILE,"<$script_path/$file") || die "NFG1 $script_path/$file!\n";
@CONTENT = <FILE>;
close(FILE);
[download]

But instead of:

$Text::Wrap::columns = '40';
print wrap("","",@CONTENT);
[download]

I used a loop:

$Text::Wrap::columns = '40';
    foreach (@CONTENT) {
print wrap("","",$_);
}
[download]

and all is working as expected. I'm just wondering if this is a case of treating the symptom, rather then the cause ...

Thanks for all who contributed ... at least I've got something working now.