EATING IN BRITAIN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 33, 18 November 1943, Page 3

EATING IN BRITAIN.

DOMINIONS MUST PROVIDE FOOD. (Rec. 1.10 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17. Eating in Britain now -was more of a necessary act than an art which gave pleasure, said Mr Bankes Amery (leader of the JBritish Food Mission to Australia and New Zealand) in a broadcast to-night. In a world which is producing less food than ever, it was impossible for Britain to feed her soldiers and the civil population on a pre-war scale, said Mr Amery. The British ration of 14d worth of meat, 3oz of butter and 3oz of cheese weekly was consequently in danger unless supplies from Australia and New Zealand were fully kept up. Britain knows that Australia and New Zealand are feeding troops and have great demands on their products, but nevertheless she is confident that all the partners of the British Commonwealth, having already decided to sink or swim in this war, will see to it that, regardless of hardship, Britain’s meat and dairy produce rations are maintained. Britain had agreed to provide the whole of the shipping required for the purpose.

Mr Amery described how British housewives endeavour to make the best of the drab domestic wartime routine, and told of incidents showing how Britain, in the fifth year of the war, was still keeping up her spirits. It was still one of the joys of social life in Britain to ask friends to have a meal in your home, but when rations were low r , invitations were worded rather differently from normal times. A man recently said to friends whom he met after a long separation, “How about bringing your wife and some grub for supper at our place.”